Hello all,
Does anyone know of research indicating that large-polyp stony corals (e.g. Tubastraea coccinea) prey on ichthyoplankton? I am aware that there are several studies that indicate that they can prey on copepods and crustacean nauplius. Generally, I am considering if reefs dominated by predatory corals are more hazardous to settling fish larva than reefs dominated by primary consumer bivalves. I have evidence indicating the bivalves in question are generally primary consumers and the corals are secondary consumers.
Best,
Ryan
Hi Ryan,
I am not aware of recent studies that would provide an answer to your question but I attached 2 papers that may be of some assistance.
During my work in Indonesia I came across an interesting event that suggests that some scleractinians with large polyps may opportunistically prey of larval fish. We observed a mass daytime feeding by mushroom corals (Fungiidae) on larval/juvenile teri fish (genus Stolephorus). This was very unusual since based on earlier studies fungiids are know to feed mostly at night. We have observed night-time feeding as well when fungiids expand their polyps. If you are interested in more details you can have a look in the PDF link just below, see pages 284-285.
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/301883459_Chapter_Seven_Scleractinia_The_Reef-Builders
However, I am not aware of any specific in-situ studies on the feeding habits of species such as Tubastraea. You can find some more information on the Dendrophyllidae on pages 294-296 in the above PDF link. These azooxanthellae species are often found in crevice and/or underhangs that are not the habitat for pelagic larva fish. Please note that vast majority of coral reef fish have a pelagic early life history. Peter Sales's 1991 "The Ecology of Fishes on Coral Reefs" has lots of information on larval fish.
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/book/9780080925516
and his 2nd edition
https://www.amazon.ca/Coral-Reef-Fishes-Diversity-Ecosystem/dp/0126151857/ref=sr_1_4?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1497118299&sr=1-4#reader_0126151857
Hope this helps a bit.
Tomas
Data Tomascik, T., A. J. Mah, A. Nontji & M. K. Moosa (1997). Cha...
Dear Ryan and Tom,
Thanks for bringing tthis topic and refrerence to our attention. I do not have information on fish but on salps being eaten by large-polyped scleractinians, I can send them if you are interrested:
Hoeksema, B.W., Waheed, Z. 2012. It pays to have a big mouth: mushroom corals ingesting salps at Sabah, Malaysia. Marine Biodiversity 42: 297–302.
Mehrotra, R., Scott, C.M., Hoeksema, B.W. 2016. A large gape facilitates predation on salps by Heteropsammia corals. Marine Biodiversity 46 (2): 323–324.
Best wishes,
Bert
Hi Bert,
I did attach your paper to my original reply to Ryan not sure why it did not go through. I'll post it here again.
Cheers,
Tom
Thank you very much for your responses, I should note that the habitats I am looking at are artificial structures in the GOM where Tubastraea occupy a abnormally large proportion of the encrusting biomass (in comparison to their natural habitat). I have found some other research indicating they are secondary consumers:
http://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/pdfplus/10.2307/1540115
http://www.int-res.com/abstracts/meps/v282/p151-160/
Thanks again,
Ryan
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