french angelfish exhibit cleaning activity in bonaire
DESCRIPTION
My powerpoint presentation of my 4 months of research in Bonaire on Juvenile French AngelfishTRANSCRIPT
Brian ReckenbeilMoravian College, PA
Bonaire 2008
Juvenile French Angelfish Cleaning Behavior in Bonaire
Background• French Angelfish have been studied as cleaner
fish in many parts of the world, ex Brazil (Sazima).
• Cleaning species eat parasites off of clients, which is mutualistic to both species.
• In Wicksten’s 1998 study of cleaner fish in Bonaire, only 1 incidence of French Angel cleaning was reported on 2 individuals.
• According to Deloach, FA’s only act as cleaner fish until they reach a length of 7.6 cm (3 in)
Photo by Lola Nygaard
What did I do?
• Juvenile French Angelfish, Pomacanthus paru, were observed near the waters around the yellow submarine dive shop
• The cleaners I observed ranged from 1cm to 5cm
• I looked to see if P. paru have a significant impact as a cleaner species in Bonaire
• Sazima, 1999, showed that in Brazil, Juvenile French Angelfish have a large impact in the reef system as a cleaner
• Wicksten, 1998, reports almost no cleaning activity by French Angels in Bonaire
• I wanted to try to figure out why there is a discrepancy between the two studies
Why??
1 5
3
2
4
Cleaning Station Locations
Show Video
• Sites 1,5&6 based at man made objects• Sites 2,3&4 are natural coral heads• All locations in lagoon area: no deeper than 3m
6
Station 1
Ocean Surgeon Fish Feeding
Home of Angel
Angel swims to clean OS
Station 2
Stoplight Parrot at station 3
Photo by Lola Nygaard
Station 4Princess Parrot
Station 5Ocean Surgeon
Photo by Christine San Antonio
ResultsResults
Cleaner Cleaner StationStation
Size Size (cm)(cm)
% Time % Time CleaninCleanin
g g
# # SurveysSurveys
11 1.51.5 1919 77
22 22 1414 55
33 2.52.5 99 55
44 1.0 & 1.0 & 3.53.5
3636 33
55 33 1212 44
66 3.53.5 4242 33
TotalTotal 19.5%19.5% 2727
The Clients
• Over 9.6 hours of Observation: 1.87 hrs spent cleaning • 24 species cleaned during survey• 4 more species seen cleaned NOT during surveys
(Spotted Moray, Bicolor Damsel, Brown Chromis and Permit)
• 186 cleaning sessions: 168 individuals
Photo by Lola Nygaard
Number of Visits per Species
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
45
50
55
Banded B
utterfl
y
Blue
Tang
Caesar
Gru
nt
Dusky D
amse
l
Four Eye
Butte
rfly
French
Gru
nt
Ocean
Surg
eon
Princes
s Par
rot
Queen P
arro
t
Rainbow P
arro
t
Schoolm
aste
r
Sergea
nt Maj
or
SharpeN
ose
Puffer
Smooth
Tru
nkfis
h
Spanis
h Hogfis
h
Spotted G
oatfis
h
Spotted T
runkf
ish
Stoplig
ht Par
rot
Trum
petfi
sh
White
Gru
nt
White
Spot F
ilefis
h
Yello
w Goat
fish
Yello
w Tai
l Par
rot
Yello
wfin M
ojarra
# C
lean
ing
Ses
sio
ns
Time Cleaned during 9.6 hours of observation
02468
101214161820
Tim
e (m
inu
tes)
Relation Between Time Cleaned and Number of Visits
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
45
50
55
Un
its
(m
inu
tes
&/o
r s
es
sio
ns
)
Count ofSessions
CleaningTime (min)
Cleaning was the intended purpose??
5%
13%
82%
maybe
no
yes
Comparing French Angel to other Comparing French Angel to other common cleaners: common cleaners:
Cleaner Cleaner SpeciesSpecies
# # Client Client SpecieSpeciess
# Hrs # Hrs ObserveObservedd
# Hrs # Hrs CleaninCleaningg
French French AngelAngel
24/2824/28 9.69.6 1.871.87
* * Pederson Pederson ShrimpShrimp
66 3.53.5 0.6580.658
* Gobies* Gobies 1313 1.251.25 0.3430.343
* * Bluehead Bluehead WrasseWrasse
11 0.750.75 0.0010.001
* Unpublished data from Luisa Velasquez* Unpublished data from Luisa Velasquez
% Time % Time CleaninCleaningg
New New Species/hSpecies/hrr
19.519.5 2.502.50
2020 1.711.71
2727 10.410.4
0.150.15 1.331.33
So why did Wicksten NOT see So why did Wicksten NOT see much cleaning behavior by much cleaning behavior by French Angels?French Angels?
• LocationLocation– Most abundant population of French Most abundant population of French
Angels I have seen IS at yellow sub, and Angels I have seen IS at yellow sub, and she was surveying off of South she was surveying off of South Kralendijk, Calabas ReefKralendijk, Calabas Reef
Calabas Reef About 1 mile away
© Dive Friends Bonaire
So why did Wicksten Not see much cleaning behavior by French Angels?
• Location– Most abundant population of French Angels I
have seen IS at yellow sub, and she was surveying off of South Kralendijk, Calabas Reef
– Depth• All my fish were above 3m• Wicksten studied from 3m to 18m
Other possible studies to Other possible studies to considerconsider
• Relate time spent cleaning to time Relate time spent cleaning to time spent foragingspent foraging
• Analyze stomach contents Analyze stomach contents – These could show how much the cleaner These could show how much the cleaner
depends on cleaning for its food source.depends on cleaning for its food source.
In ConclusionIn Conclusion• It appears that Juvenile French Angels have an It appears that Juvenile French Angels have an
impact as cleaners, at least in the vicinity of the impact as cleaners, at least in the vicinity of the Yellow Sub pier in BonaireYellow Sub pier in Bonaire– Due toDue to
• Time spent cleaningTime spent cleaning
• # Species Cleaned# Species Cleaned– Compared to other common cleanersCompared to other common cleaners
• They do not however, seem to be a large part of They do not however, seem to be a large part of the cleaning on the Reef, since they are found only the cleaning on the Reef, since they are found only in shallow waters and not very common elsewhere in shallow waters and not very common elsewhere around the islandaround the island
A Special Thanks to:A Special Thanks to:
andand
• BNMPBNMP
• Dive Friends BonaireDive Friends Bonaire
• Rita PeacheyRita Peachey