title: Fish functional traits are affected by hydrodynamics at small spatial scale.
abstract: The Mediterranean damselfish Chromis chromis is a species with a broad distribution found both in the Mediterranean Sea and Eastern Atlantic as far south as the coast of Angola. We hypothesized that the species may have significant functional morphological plasticity to adapt along a gradient of environmental conditions. It is a non-migratory zooplanktivorous species and spends the daytime searching for food in the middle of the water column. Therefore, local hydrodynamics could be one of the environmental factors affecting traits of C. chromis with repercussions at the population level. We compared the body condition, individual growth and body shapes of damselfish collected under two different hydrodynamic conditions (low ∼10 cm s(-1) vs. high ∼20 cm s(-1)). Specimens showed higher body condition under high-hydrodynamics, where conditions offered greater amounts of food, which were able to support larger individuals. Individuals smaller than 60-mm were more abundant under low-hydrodynamics. Morphometric analysis revealed that high-hydrodynamics were favored by fish with a more fusiform body shape and body traits developed for propellant swimming.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra e del Mare, University of Palermo, Viale delle Scienze Ed. 16, 90128 Palermo, Italy; Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, University of Turin, Via Accademia Albertina 13, 10123 Turin, Italy.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bracciali
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra e del Mare, University of Palermo, Viale delle Scienze Ed. 16, 90128 Palermo, Italy.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Guzzo
authors.affiliation: Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, University of Turin, Via Accademia Albertina 13, 10123 Turin, Italy.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Giacoma
authors.affiliation: Baruch Institute for Marine and Coastal Sciences, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC 29208, USA.
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Dean
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra e del Mare, University of Palermo, Viale delle Scienze Ed. 16, 90128 Palermo, Italy; CoNISMa, UO-Palermo, Via Archirafi, 18, 90123 Palermo, Italy. Electronic address: gianluca.sara@unipa.it.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sarà
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging; D000818:Animals; D049628:Body Size; D005399:Fishes / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000502:physiology*; D057446:Hydrodynamics
keywords: Body condition state; Egadi marine protected area; Growth; Hydrodynamic variability; Mediterranean Sea; Mediterranean damselfish; Morphometry