Nutritional ecology of nominally herbivorous fishes on coral reefs

摘要: Nominally herbivorous acanthurids (surgeonfishes) and scarids (parrotfishes) have often been considered a ‘homogeneous’ functional group that consumes digests algae. Recent work demonstrates many of these fishes consume detritus. The objective this study was to investigate the composition dietary nutrients targeted by other in terms feeding behaviour, diet short chain fatty acids (SCFA). We undertook nutritional analysis range species including detritivores, algivores, omnivores planktivores from north eastern Australia. calculated assimilation efficiencies for total protein amino (TAA), carbohydrate lipid, measured TAA gut fluid along intestine. Nutrients were assimilated similarly their proportions, with assimilating high proportion TAA, moderate lipid little carbohydrate. Omnivores proportions carbohydrate, low lipid. Algivores but Detritivorous differed significantly levels all highest anterior lowest posterior Gut segments values compared between groups followed similar trend assimilation. Planktivores had concentrations while intermediate, algivores lowest, concentrations. found detritivorous acanthurids, higher than algivores. A significant negative correlation intestinal SCFA values. Detritivores SCFA. Planktivorous intermediate both This indicates there are major differences food resources algivorous fish on coral reefs.