Home range, activity and distribution patterns of a temperate rocky-reef fish, Cheilodactylus fuscus
Lowry, M.B.; Suthers, I.M. (1998). Home range, activity and distribution patterns of a temperate rocky-reef fish, Cheilodactylus fuscus. Mar. Biol. (Berl.) 132(4): 569-578. https://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s002270050422
In: Marine Biology: International Journal on Life in Oceans and Coastal Waters. Springer: Heidelberg; Berlin. ISSN 0025-3162; e-ISSN 1432-1793, more
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Home Range; Reef Fish; Feeding Pattern; Local Aggregation; Fish Movement |
| Authors | | Top |
- Lowry, M.B.
- Suthers, I.M.
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| Abstract |
Red morwong (Cheilodactylus fuscus; Cheilodactylidae: Perciformes), are large temperate rocky reef fish that are patchily distributed in local aggregations of 3 to >100 fish. The home ranges and aggregating behaviour of red morwong were investigated using external tags (n = 114, over 35 mo) and ultrasonic transmitters (n = 9 over 20 d) at coastal and estuarine sites in south-east Australia. Adult red morwong had a mean home range during the day of 1865 m2 (SE = 268). Night movement, determined by ultrasonic telemetry, indicated a significantly greater mean home range of 3639 m2 (SE = 416). Home range did not differ significantly with size or sex. Fish movements were greatest and aggregation sizes varied most during the non-reproductive mid-summer period. Tagged fish (N = 20) displaced 200 to 900 m returned in 1 to 3 d to the point of capture, often traversing open sand habitat and other aggregations. During the day, fish were commonly found on bouldered habitat. During the night, these site-specific aggregations fragmented as fish dispersed over a variety of substrata, with crepuscular peaks in activity. Therefore, estimates of habitat-specificity and feeding patterns collected only by day may give misleading results. |
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