Lunar influences in the diet habits and selectivity of larval clingfish Gobiesox marmoratus

Abstract

The influence of the lunar cycle on the feeding habits, feeding success and selectivity was tested in situ on larval stages of the clingfish Gobiesox marmoratus (Gobiesocidae). Gobiesox marmoratus larvae and their prey were collected in the water column during the lunar cycle in austral spring 2015 and 2016, in shallow waters (<30 m depth) of El Quisco, central Chile. Feeding incidence was high (80-100%) throughout the moon cycle. The diet was composed of 32 prey items, being gastropod larvae and invertebrate eggs the most important. Prey composition varied among lunar phases with the lowest prey richness during new moon. During 2016, G. marmoratus larvae ingested the lowest number, but the largest prey during new moon. In spring 2015, there were no significant changes in the abundance of each prey taxon in the water column among moon phases, but in spring 2016 there were significant differences in the abundance of cypris and copepod nauplii, particularly between full and new moon. Feeding selectivity index showed that gastropod larvae were positively selected throughout the lunar cycle during spring 2015. In spring 2016, invertebrate eggs were selectively ingested in full moon and third quarter, but at a new moon G. marmoratus larvae selected gastropod larvae. Mean temperature of the water column and its vertical gradient and nocturnal cloud cover influences the feeding success of larval G. marmoratus. Lunar illumination favoured only an increase of richness of prey items. Therefore, nocturnal cloud cover precludes a greater influence of lunar illumination in the larval trophic ecology of this cryptobenthic fish.

A life in the surf zone: Age and feeding habits of the pompano (Trachinotus ovatus, Linnaeus, 1758) on the beaches of the Gulf of Cádiz (south‐west Iberian Peninsula)

“…These, in turn, serve as a resource for the pompanos. It also happens that low irradiance decreases hunting effectiveness in smaller fish (De los Ríos-Méndez et al, 2019), which would make the pompano's diet more diverse on new moon nights, as those prey would not be as abundant in the area as in those moments when there is a full moon.…”

Coexisting in the Surf Zone: Age and Feeding Habits of the Spotted Seabass (Dicentrarchus punctatus) and European Seabass (Dicentrarchus labrax) on the Gulf of Cádiz Beaches (Southwest Iberian Peninsula)

“…In both species, a greater variety of prey is observed during the full moon compared to the new moon, which could be due to the additional light provided during the full moon, allowing for more efficient hunting across a broader range of prey, similar to behaviors observed in certain flatfish species [75]. Consequently, during the new moon, they would focus on hunting the most abundant resources in the area, as larger specimens are attracted to the surf zone, likely due to their enhanced hunting success against smaller fish [81].…”

Lunar cycle drives family-specific larval fish assemblages in the tropical nearshore ecosystem

“…Nonetheless, predation rises during the new and full moon phases due to the abundance of food and predators [16]. In central Chile, larval sh feeding incidence was recorded in shallow coastal water during the lunar cycle, particularly during the full and new moon phases [17].…”