abundance ratios (Table 42). This was expected, since the peppermint goby is only
found over live corals and tends to aggregate in such limited habitats at 50 m. Both the
blue and sunshine chromis species naturally exhibit schooling behavior, which is
aggregated by definition. Large demersal predators, such as the yellowfin grouper we
only observed in transit at Agelas Reef. There are
re
no protective habitats large enough
r adult yellowfin groupers, or any other top demersal predators in the 50 – 70 m depth
range. Smaller groupers, such as the coney
) and the red hind
he abundance of several fish species present at Agelas Reef was most likely
nderestimated by our survey because of their small size and criptic behavior. These
clude the cherubfish, peppermint goby, masked goby (Coryphopterus personatus),
dspotted hawkfish (Amblycirrhitus pinos), cardinalfishes (Apogon spp.) and an
nidentified goby (Gobiosoma sp.).
he fish community presented a trophic structure strongly associated with a plankton
od web, consistent with observations at 30 and 40 m. Three of the top five most
bundant fishes within belt-transects at 50 m are known to feed mostly on plankton.
lanktonic copepods and other zooplankton, including tunicates, fish eggs, shrimp
rvae, siphonophores and ostracods comprise most of the diet of juvenile and adult blue
and sunshine chromis (Randall, 1967; Emery, 1973; Allen, 1991). The bicolor
damselfish is omnivorous (Allen, 1991), but strongly associated with the plankton food
web. Juveniles are known to feed on benthic algae, whereas adults feed on a
combination of phyto and zooplankton (Emery, 1973; Fariña et al., 2005). Other well
known zooplanktivores present at Agelas Reef include the brown chromis (Chromis
multilineata), masked goby (Coryphopterus personatus), and fairy basslet Gramma
loreto). The combined planktivorous assemblage represented at least 70 % of the total
fish individuals surveyed within belt-transects. The fact that all of the aforementioned
species live close to the benthic reef habitat suggests that demersal zooplankton plays
an important role in the trophic dynamics of this system.
The cherubfish (Centropyge argi) was the main herbivorous species associated with
Agelas Reef. Benthic algae (Cladophora sp., Enteromorpha sp., Lyngbya spp.) and
fo
(Cephalopholis fulva
(Epinephelus guttatus) were common on the reef, but declined in abundance relative to
their mean abundances within belt-transects at 30 and 40 m on the SW Wall Reef.
T
u
in
re
u
T
fo
a
P
la
145
found over live corals and tends to aggregate in such limited habitats at 50 m. Both the
blue and sunshine chromis species naturally exhibit schooling behavior, which is
aggregated by definition. Large demersal predators, such as the yellowfin grouper we
only observed in transit at Agelas Reef. There are
re
no protective habitats large enough
r adult yellowfin groupers, or any other top demersal predators in the 50 – 70 m depth
range. Smaller groupers, such as the coney
) and the red hind
he abundance of several fish species present at Agelas Reef was most likely
nderestimated by our survey because of their small size and criptic behavior. These
clude the cherubfish, peppermint goby, masked goby (Coryphopterus personatus),
dspotted hawkfish (Amblycirrhitus pinos), cardinalfishes (Apogon spp.) and an
nidentified goby (Gobiosoma sp.).
he fish community presented a trophic structure strongly associated with a plankton
od web, consistent with observations at 30 and 40 m. Three of the top five most
bundant fishes within belt-transects at 50 m are known to feed mostly on plankton.
lanktonic copepods and other zooplankton, including tunicates, fish eggs, shrimp
rvae, siphonophores and ostracods comprise most of the diet of juvenile and adult blue
and sunshine chromis (Randall, 1967; Emery, 1973; Allen, 1991). The bicolor
damselfish is omnivorous (Allen, 1991), but strongly associated with the plankton food
web. Juveniles are known to feed on benthic algae, whereas adults feed on a
combination of phyto and zooplankton (Emery, 1973; Fariña et al., 2005). Other well
known zooplanktivores present at Agelas Reef include the brown chromis (Chromis
multilineata), masked goby (Coryphopterus personatus), and fairy basslet Gramma
loreto). The combined planktivorous assemblage represented at least 70 % of the total
fish individuals surveyed within belt-transects. The fact that all of the aforementioned
species live close to the benthic reef habitat suggests that demersal zooplankton plays
an important role in the trophic dynamics of this system.
The cherubfish (Centropyge argi) was the main herbivorous species associated with
Agelas Reef. Benthic algae (Cladophora sp., Enteromorpha sp., Lyngbya spp.) and
fo
(Cephalopholis fulva
(Epinephelus guttatus) were common on the reef, but declined in abundance relative to
their mean abundances within belt-transects at 30 and 40 m on the SW Wall Reef.
T
u
in
re
u
T
fo
a
P
la
145