Grutter, Alexandra S. (1995) Relationship between cleaning rates and ectoparasite loads in coral reef fishes. Marine Ecology Progress Series, 118. pp. 51-58.

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Abstract

Individuals from 11 fish species were followed and the number of times and duration that fish were inspected by the cleaner wrasse Labroides dimidiatus were recorded around Lizard Island, Great Barrier Reef. The frequency and duration of inspection were positively correlated with the mean parasite load and mean surface area of the 11 fish species. Surface area, however, explained slightly more of the variation in inspection frequency and duration among species than did ectoparasite load. This suggests surface area may be useful for predicting the cleaning rates of fish species. When the frequency and duration of inspection were corrected for mean surface area and mean ectoparasite load, differences among fish species disappeared. Observations of 3 size classes from l fish species, Hemigymnus melapterus, revealed that larger fish, which have more parasites, were inspected more often and for longer periods than smaller fish with fewer parasites. The fact that fish with more parasites are cleaned more suggests that parasites play an important role in fish cleaning interactions.

Item ID:	27485
Item Type:	Article (Research - C1)
ISSN:	1616-1599
Keywords:	cleaning symbiosis; ectoparasites; fish behaviour; Labroides dimidiatus
Additional Information:	All MEPS articles are available online. Articles published 5 years ago or more may be accessed freely by all users. (see http://www.int-res.com/journals/meps/information/#openaccess)
Date Deposited:	06 Jun 2013 04:44
FoR Codes:	06 BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES > 0602 Ecology > 060205 Marine and Estuarine Ecology (incl Marine Ichthyology) @ 100%
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