Stable isotope analysis of the Hypoplectrus species complex reveals no evidence for dietary niche divergence

Holt, Ben G.; Emerson, Brent C.; Newton, Jason; Gage, Matthew J. G.; Côté, Isabelle M.

doi:10.3354/meps07339

Cited by 23 publications

(28 citation statements)

References 29 publications

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“…The differences in diet detected among the four mesopredator species using gut content analyses were not apparent using stable isotope analysis. The estimates of both δ 15 N and δ 13 C in mesopredator tissue were very similar to those obtained for carnivorous fishes collected from similar habitats at Ningaloo Reef (Wyatt et al , ).This is consistent with other studies that found isotopic signatures of piscivores and invertebrate feeding fishes are often difficult to separate (Carassou et al , ; Holt et al , ). The potential sources of primary production were likely to be benthic as carbon values were closer to those for coral mucus and macroalgae than phytoplankton and zooplankton (Wyatt et al , ).…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 93%

Quantitative diet analysis of four mesopredators from a coral reef

Ashworth

Depczynski

Holmes

et al. 2014

Journal of Fish Biology

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The diets of four common mesopredator fishes were examined in the back-reef habitat of a subtropical fringing reef system during the summer months. Quantitative gut content analyses revealed that crustaceans, represented >60% of ingested prey (% mass) by the latticed sand-perch Parapercis clathrata, brown dottyback Pseudochromis fuscus and half-moon grouper Epinephelus rivulatus. Dietary analyses also provided insights into ontogenetic shifts. Juvenile P. fuscus ingested large numbers of crustaceans (amphipods and isopods); these small prey were rarely found in larger individuals (<1% of ingested mass). Fishes also made an important contribution to the diets of all three species representing 10-30% of ingested mass. Conversely, the sand lizardfish Synodus dermatogenys fed exclusively on fishes including clupeids, gobies and labrids. Differences in the gut contents of the four species recorded were not apparent using stable isotope analysis of muscle tissues. The similarity of δ(13) C values in muscle tissues suggested that carbon within prey was derived from primary producers, with comparable carbon isotope signatures to corals and macroalgae, whilst similarities in δ(15) N values indicated that all four species belonged to the same trophic level. Thus, interspecific differences between mesopredator diets were undetectable when using stable isotope analysis which suggests that detailed elucidation of trophic pathways requires gut content analyses.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 93%

Quantitative diet analysis of four mesopredators from a coral reef

Ashworth

Depczynski

Holmes

et al. 2014

Journal of Fish Biology

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“…The behavioral associations between each of H. unicolor and H. indigo and its model, the only ones known to exist among eight cases of supposed hamlet mimicry, are consistent with the social-trap hypothesis, as follows: Hamlets are day-active, visually oriented organisms that strongly select like-colored mates from among a local pool of many differently colored hamlet “species” [8], [52], [66]–[69]. Due to this strong, color-based social response, hamlets may be “socially” attracted to other similarly colored species of fish.…”

Section: Resultssupporting

confidence: 53%

Who Resembles Whom? Mimetic and Coincidental Look-Alikes among Tropical Reef Fishes

Robertson

2013

PLoS ONE

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Studies of mimicry among tropical reef-fishes usually give little or no consideration to alternative explanations for behavioral associations between unrelated, look-alike species that benefit the supposed mimic. I propose and assess such an alternative explanation. With mimicry the mimic resembles its model, evolved to do so in response to selection by the mimicry target, and gains evolved benefits from that resemblance. In the alternative, the social-trap hypothesis, a coincidental resemblance of the model to the “mimic” inadvertently attracts the latter to it, and reinforcement of this social trapping by learned benefits leads to the “mimic” regularly associating with the model. I examine three well known cases of supposed aggressive mimicry among reef-fishes in relation to nine predictions from these hypotheses, and assess which hypothesis offers a better explanation for each. One case, involving precise and complex morphological and behavioral resemblance, is strongly consistent with mimicry, one is inconclusive, and one is more consistent with a social-trap based on coincidental, imprecise resemblance. Few cases of supposed interspecific mimicry among tropical reef fishes have been examined in depth, and many such associations may involve social traps arising from generalized, coincidental resemblance. Mimicry may be much less common among these fishes than is generally thought.

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“…Domeier (1994) suggested that Hypoplectrus morphotypes initially evolved under allopatric conditions created by falling sea levels during the last ice age. This work described the distributions of all known Hypoplectrus morphotypes, with the exception of the recently discovered Veracruz white (Holt et al ., 2008), combining field surveys in 34 locations with the results of museum surveys. While one morphotype, Hypoplectrus puella , appeared to be ubiquitous throughout the Caribbean region, all other morphotypes showed more restricted distributions.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Signatures of speciation? Distribution and diversity of Hypoplectrus (Teleostei: Serranidae) colour morphotypes

Holt¹,

Côté²,

Emerson³

2010

Global Ecology and Biogeography

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To test historical and current influences on the distributions of sympatric colour morphotypes in the coral reef fish genus Hypoplectrus. The Caribbean and surrounding tropical waters. These areas cover the entire distribution of the genus. A large and extensive database of Hypoplectrus sightings was used to establish the distribution of colour morphotypes and test a long-standing hypothesis regarding their origin. First, we considered the evidence for the previously proposed ‘population centre’ hypothesis, which suggests that current morphotype distributions reflect past conditions where these colour forms evolved in allopatry. Using morphotype sighting data, the existence of clusters in occurrence and density was tested. Second, we examined whether the observed patterns of morphotype co-occurrence deviate from random expectations using null model simulations, within subregions of the distribution of the genus, to infer ecological influences on distribution. There is considerable variation in morphotype distribution, with even widespread morphotypes showing geographical clustering. There is also little evidence to suggest past or current geographical isolation, with only one of the 11 morphotypes (Hypoplectrus chlorurus) showing a density distribution that is consistent with the population centre hypothesis. Null model analyses show that variation in local morphotype co-occurrence is typically significantly lower than expected under random dispersal conditions. Our results strongly suggest that morphotype co-occurrence is not random, but there is no evidence to suggest a past allopatric radiation in Hypoplectrus colour. Current distributions are likely to be driven by competitive interactions and/or habitat preferences. Our study highlights the value of the Hypoplectrus species complex as a system for the study of speciation in the marine environment, and implies that these closely related morphotypes have ecological relevance rather than being simple colour variants of a single polymorphic species

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Stable isotope analysis of the Hypoplectrus species complex reveals no evidence for dietary niche divergence

Cited by 23 publications

References 29 publications

Quantitative diet analysis of four mesopredators from a coral reef

Quantitative diet analysis of four mesopredators from a coral reef

Who Resembles Whom? Mimetic and Coincidental Look-Alikes among Tropical Reef Fishes

Signatures of speciation? Distribution and diversity of Hypoplectrus (Teleostei: Serranidae) colour morphotypes

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