Resource use by Corallivorous Butterflyfishes (Family Chaetodontidae) in Hawaii
Patterns of resource availability and use by corallivorous butterftyfishes in Hawaii were investigated. At six geographic locations, a 50 m × 50 m grid was surveyed for butterftyfishes and coral availability. Individuals of all corallivorous species were followed, and feeding
bites and foraging ranges were recorded. Feeding preferences were evaluated using Chessen's (1978) electivity index. Diet overlap was evaluated using the Proportional Similarity method of Smith (1985). The abundance of butterftyfishes and coral resources varied greatly at these sites, and
population sizes of butterflyfishes were not correlated with overall coral cover. The numbers of the specialist feeder Chaetodon unimaculatus were correlated with the abundance of its preferred food, montiporid corals. Chaetodon ornatissimus had the broadest diet but did not
show strong feeding preferences, in contrast to previous laboratory feeding tests. Chaetodon multicinctus strongly preferred the coral Pocillopora meandrina, the coral favored most in laboratory feeding tests. Chaetodon trifasciatus generally preferred poritid corals in
the field, in direct contrast to laboratory feeding preferences, suggesting that foraging by this species may be constrained by the other butterftyfish species.
Document Type: Research Article
Publication date: 01 March 1994
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