Eat whole and less often: ontogenetic shift reveals size specialization on kelp bass by the California moray eel, Gymnothorax mordax

Oecologia
Benjamin A HigginsR S Mehta

Abstract

Despite the importance of predation in many ecosystems, gaps remain in our understanding of nocturnal marine predators. Although the kelp forests of Southern California are some of the most well-studied ecosystems, California morays, Gymnothorax mordax, are predominately nocturnal predators that have remained largely unstudied and their predatory effects on the kelp forest ecosystem are unknown. We use a multi-year data set to examine the dietary breadth of G. mordax and to determine the functional role of this predator. We also quantify bite force to examine the potential performance limitations of morays in exploiting prey. Stomach content analyses and linear selectivity index values indicate that G. mordax specializes on kelp bass, Paralabrax clathratus. Average size of kelp bass consumed varies across years, suggesting that morays respond to fluctuations in prey size availability. The scaling relationship of kelp bass standard length and moray head length reveals an ontogenetic shift, where maximum prey size increases with moray size and small prey are dropped from the diet of larger individuals. Moray bite force exhibited strong positive allometry with moray head size, suggesting that larger morays exhibit greater bite for...Continue Reading

References

Mar 8, 2006·Proceedings. Biological Sciences·Jonathan B ShurinHelmut Hillebrand
May 17, 2006·Trends in Ecology & Evolution·Guy WoodwardPhilip H Warren
Aug 19, 2006·The Journal of Experimental Biology·M A A van der Meij, R G Bout
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Apr 5, 2017·Zoology : Analysis of Complex Systems, ZACS·Amber R DiluzioRita S Mehta

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Citations

Jun 5, 2020·Integrative and Comparative Biology·Rita S MehtaBenjamin A Higgins
Jul 2, 2021·Zoology : Analysis of Complex Systems, ZACS·Kelley M Voss, Rita S Mehta

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Methods Mentioned

BETA
SMA
force measurements

Software Mentioned

R package smatr
R
R package “ Hotelling ”

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