Unravelling the nocturnal appearance of bogue Boops boops shoals in the anthropogenically modified shallow littoral.
In the present study the role of the nocturnal migration of bogue Boops boops shoals to anthropogenically modified shallow littoral locations was examined, evaluating four alternative hypotheses: (1) feeding, (2) reproduction, (3) attraction of B. boops to artificial light and (4) concealment in the darkness related to predation avoidance. All hypotheses apart from predation avoidance were rejected, as B. boops tended to concentrate in shaded locations of wider illuminated areas, a finding not only important concerning fish behaviour, but also with significant management implications.
Section of Animal Biology, Department of Biology, University of Patras, GR 26504 Rio, Patras, Greece.
N
N
Mavraki
Section of Animal Biology, Department of Biology, University of Patras, GR 26504 Rio, Patras, Greece.
M
M
Georgiadis
Section of Animal Biology, Department of Biology, University of Patras, GR 26504 Rio, Patras, Greece.
C
C
Koutsikopoulos
Section of Animal Biology, Department of Biology, University of Patras, GR 26504 Rio, Patras, Greece.
E
E
Tzanatos
D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005399:Fishes; D008027:Light; D010473:Perciformes; D011235:Predatory Behavior; D012098:Reproduction
artificial habitats; coastal zone; fish behaviour; nocturnal migration; predation avoidance