title: Ontogenetic foraging activity and feeding selectivity of the Brazilian endemic parrotfishScarus zelindae.
abstract: Parrotfish are fundamental species in controlling algal phase-shifts and ensuring the resilience of coral reefs. Nevertheless, little is known on their ecological role in the south-western Atlantic Ocean. The present study analysed the ontogenetic foraging activity and feeding selectivity of the Brazilian endemic parrotfishScarus zelindaeusing behavioural observation and benthic composition analyses. We found a significant negative relationship between fish size and feeding rates forS. zelindaeindividuals. Thus, terminal phase individuals forage with lower feeding rates compared to juveniles and initial phase individuals. The highest relative foraging frequency ofS. zelindaewas on epilithic algae matrix (EAM) with similar values for juveniles (86.6%), initial phase (88.1%) and terminal phase (88.6%) individuals. The second preferred benthos for juveniles was sponge (11.6%) compared with initial (4.5%) and terminal life phases (1.3%). Different life phases ofS. zelindaeforaged on different benthos according to their availability. Based on Ivlev's electivity index, juveniles selected EAM and sponge, while initial phase and terminal phase individuals only selected EAM. Our findings demonstrate that the foraging frequency of the endemic parrotfishS. zelindaeis reduced according to body size and that there is a slight ontogenetic change in feeding selectivity. Therefore, ecological knowledge of ontogenetic variations on resource use is critical for the remaining parrotfish populations which have been dramatically reduced in the Southwestern Atlantic Ocean.
authors.affiliation: Department of Marine Biology, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland, Australia; Coral Reef Ecosystem Department, Reef Conservation Project, Recife, PE, Brazil.
authors.forename: Pedro H C
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Pereira
authors.affiliation: Coral Reef Ecosystem Department, Reef Conservation Project, Recife, PE, Brazil; Department of Oceanography, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Recife, PE, Brazil.
authors.forename: Marcus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Santos
authors.affiliation: Coral Reef Ecosystem Department, Reef Conservation Project, Recife, PE, Brazil; Department of Oceanography, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Recife, PE, Brazil.
authors.forename: Daniel L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Lippi
authors.affiliation: Coral Reef Ecosystem Department, Reef Conservation Project, Recife, PE, Brazil; Biological Sciences Department, Federal Institute of Education, Science and Technology (IFGoiano), Rio Verde, GO, Brazil.
authors.forename: Pedro
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Silva
keywords: Brazilian reefs; Feeding behaviour; Parrotfishes; Resource availability; Southwestern Atlantic Ocean