Feeding resource partitioning between Mullus barbatus and M. surmuletus in the Catalan Sea (northwestern Mediterranean)

The diet composition of Mullus barbatus and M. surmuletus in relation to ontogeny was compared to evaluate resource partitioning between these sympatric species. For each species, the fish were grouped by total length (LT) into 1-cm length classes. Cluster analyses were performed using the Bray-Cur...

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Main Authors: Hugo Aguirre, Pilar Sánchez
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Universidad Autónoma de Baja California 2005-03-01
Series:Ciencias Marinas
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.cienciasmarinas.com.mx/index.php/cmarinas/article/view/52
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author Hugo Aguirre
Pilar Sánchez
author_facet Hugo Aguirre
Pilar Sánchez
author_sort Hugo Aguirre
collection DOAJ
description The diet composition of Mullus barbatus and M. surmuletus in relation to ontogeny was compared to evaluate resource partitioning between these sympatric species. For each species, the fish were grouped by total length (LT) into 1-cm length classes. Cluster analyses were performed using the Bray-Curtis similarity index and the group average link method (UPGMA). The results defined six new length groups based on diet similarities: (I) oldest adults of M. surmuletus (21–31 cm LT), (II) newly settled individuals of both species (6–8 cm LT), (III) oldest adults of M. barbatus (19–21 cm LT), (IV) adults of M. barbatus (12–18 cm LT), (V) juveniles of both species, and (VI) adults of M. surmuletus (12–20, 22 cm LT). The analysis of similarities (ANOSIM) showed that there were significant differences in trophic composition between successive length groups (P ≤ 0.05). Although these sympatric species feed on a similarly wide range of prey, the relative proportion of their items showed clear differences between species and also throughout their ontogeny; these differences were more evident as the fish aged. The feeding patterns described in the present paper reveal the importance of the food partitioning strategy to allow the intra- and interspecific occurrence of these sympatric species.
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spelling doaj.art-c3a8434f2fcc4dd490f0c01eda4a09b82024-03-03T18:35:18ZengUniversidad Autónoma de Baja CaliforniaCiencias Marinas0185-38802395-90532005-03-0131210.7773/cm.v31i2.52Feeding resource partitioning between Mullus barbatus and M. surmuletus in the Catalan Sea (northwestern Mediterranean)Hugo Aguirre0Pilar Sánchez1Instituto Nacional de la Pesca-Centro Regional de Investigación PesqueraCentre Mediterrani d’Investigacions Marines i Ambientals The diet composition of Mullus barbatus and M. surmuletus in relation to ontogeny was compared to evaluate resource partitioning between these sympatric species. For each species, the fish were grouped by total length (LT) into 1-cm length classes. Cluster analyses were performed using the Bray-Curtis similarity index and the group average link method (UPGMA). The results defined six new length groups based on diet similarities: (I) oldest adults of M. surmuletus (21–31 cm LT), (II) newly settled individuals of both species (6–8 cm LT), (III) oldest adults of M. barbatus (19–21 cm LT), (IV) adults of M. barbatus (12–18 cm LT), (V) juveniles of both species, and (VI) adults of M. surmuletus (12–20, 22 cm LT). The analysis of similarities (ANOSIM) showed that there were significant differences in trophic composition between successive length groups (P ≤ 0.05). Although these sympatric species feed on a similarly wide range of prey, the relative proportion of their items showed clear differences between species and also throughout their ontogeny; these differences were more evident as the fish aged. The feeding patterns described in the present paper reveal the importance of the food partitioning strategy to allow the intra- and interspecific occurrence of these sympatric species. https://www.cienciasmarinas.com.mx/index.php/cmarinas/article/view/52sympatric speciesontogenydietary similarities
spellingShingle Hugo Aguirre
Pilar Sánchez
Feeding resource partitioning between Mullus barbatus and M. surmuletus in the Catalan Sea (northwestern Mediterranean)
Ciencias Marinas
sympatric species
ontogeny
dietary similarities
title Feeding resource partitioning between Mullus barbatus and M. surmuletus in the Catalan Sea (northwestern Mediterranean)
title_full Feeding resource partitioning between Mullus barbatus and M. surmuletus in the Catalan Sea (northwestern Mediterranean)
title_fullStr Feeding resource partitioning between Mullus barbatus and M. surmuletus in the Catalan Sea (northwestern Mediterranean)
title_full_unstemmed Feeding resource partitioning between Mullus barbatus and M. surmuletus in the Catalan Sea (northwestern Mediterranean)
title_short Feeding resource partitioning between Mullus barbatus and M. surmuletus in the Catalan Sea (northwestern Mediterranean)
title_sort feeding resource partitioning between mullus barbatus and m surmuletus in the catalan sea northwestern mediterranean
topic sympatric species
ontogeny
dietary similarities
url https://www.cienciasmarinas.com.mx/index.php/cmarinas/article/view/52
work_keys_str_mv AT hugoaguirre feedingresourcepartitioningbetweenmullusbarbatusandmsurmuletusinthecatalanseanorthwesternmediterranean
AT pilarsanchez feedingresourcepartitioningbetweenmullusbarbatusandmsurmuletusinthecatalanseanorthwesternmediterranean