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Ontogenetic changes in the predator–prey interactions between threadsail filefish and moon jellyfish

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Abstract

Although jellyfish are important predators of fish larvae, many fish species also feed on jellyfish. Therefore, the predator–prey role of jellyfish and fish may switch during the course of their life histories. Here, we investigated such interactions by examining (1) the avoidance behaviour of threadsail filefish Stephanolepis cirrhifer to moon jellyfish Aurelia sp. and (2) the feeding behaviour of filefish on moon jellyfish medusae and polyps. The efficiency of filefish as jellyfish predators was examined by comparing their behaviour with that of black scraper Thamnaconus modestus and red sea bream Pagrus major. Filefish and black scraper were able to avoid medusae and obtain tolerance against nematocysts at a smaller body size compared to red sea bream. Filefish initiated feeding on medusae when they became juveniles of 21.8 mm SL. Feeding trials of yearling filefish on polyps at different temperatures (range 10–30°C) indicated that the highest feeding rate was 3.1 individuals s−1 at 26.8°C. We suggest that the feeding pressure of filefish on jellyfish polyps may have an impact on medusa biomass.

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Acknowledgments

We thank Dr. Yasuhiro Ueno (National Research Institute of Fisheries Engineering, Fisheries Research Agency, Japan) for constructive comments on an early version of the manuscript. Comments from Dr. Sigrún Jónasdóttir and anonymous reviewers substantially improved the content and clarity of the paper. This study was supported by the STOPJELLY Project administered by the Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Research Council (AFFRC), and Research Fellowship of the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) to YMT.

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  1. Yuko Miyajima-Taga

    Present address: National Research Institute of Fisheries Engineering, Fisheries Research Agency, Hasaki, Kamisu, Ibaraki, 314-0408, Japan

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Maizuru Fisheries Research Station, Kyoto University, Nagahama, Maizuru, Kyoto, 625-0086, Japan

    Yuko Miyajima-Taga, Reiji Masuda & Yoh Yamashita

  2. Faculty of Marine Science, Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology, Minato, Tokyo, 108-8477, Japan

    Ryo Morimitsu & Haruto Ishii

  3. Fisheries Research Center, Ehime Research Institute of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Shitaba, Uwajima, Ehime, 798-0104, Japan

    Kentaro Nakajima

Authors
  1. Yuko Miyajima-Taga
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  2. Reiji Masuda
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  4. Haruto Ishii
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Correspondence to Reiji Masuda.

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Handling editor: Sigrún Huld Jónasdóttir

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Miyajima-Taga, Y., Masuda, R., Morimitsu, R. et al. Ontogenetic changes in the predator–prey interactions between threadsail filefish and moon jellyfish. Hydrobiologia 772, 175–187 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10750-016-2658-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10750-016-2658-1

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