Empty Mussel Shells on Mariculture Ropes as Potential Nest Places for the Blenny Hypleurochilus Fissicornis (Perciformes: Blenniidae)

Gerhardinger, Leopoldo C.; Hostim-Silva, Maurício; Barreiros, João P.

http://hdl.handle.net/10400.3/1562

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Authors

Gerhardinger, Leopoldo C.

Hostim-Silva, Maurício

Barreiros, João P.

Abstract(s)

We report on the use of empty shells from mariculture of Perna perna mussels as nesting places for males of (Blenniidae). Although its habitat preferences remain still unnoticed, this species was found to be surprisingly abundant in mariculture structures. Ten (ready to harvest) mussel ropes were collected in a mariculture near Porto Belo island, Santa Catarina, Brazil. Seven species were found: (n=327; 93.7%; min TL=15.82mm; max TL=66.18mm); and Manual collections rendered 3 additional species: and Nest samples (n=29) were taken from submersed ropes by snorkeling. From these nests, 13 were captured together with its parental fish owner, all of them males of . Parental male size was found to be positively correlated with nest size (NS = 2.45 * MS 63.77; R2= 0.87). The availability of empty shells due to mussel mortality offered good opportunity for males to build its nests. The “novel” habitat provided by mariculture may offer particular situations for males of this species. Since a temporal controlled mortality effect periodically kills part of the population (mariculture harvesting), older/larger males have a higher probability of being excluded of the reproductive active pool, which can potentially benefit young/smaller males. We also advanced with the hypothesis that the high availability of structures favorable to blenny reproduction may be working as a source area of larvae, thus possibly increasing fish recruitment in other adjacent areas.

Description

PROCEEDINGS OF THE 8th INTERNATIONAL COASTAL SYMPOSIUM (ICS 2004) Itajaí/Itapema, Santa Catarina, Brazil, 14 to 19 March 2004.
Copyright © 2006 Coastal Education and Research Foundation (CERF).

Keywords

Blenniidae Nests Shells

URI

http://hdl.handle.net/10400.3/1562

Citation

GERHARDINGER, L. C.; HOSTIM-SILVA, M., and BARREIROS, J. P., (2006). "Empty mussel shells on mariculture ropes as potential nest places for the blenny (Perciformes: Blenniidae)". «Journal of Coastal Research», SI 39 (Proceedings of the 8th International Coastal Symposium), 1202 - 1204. Itajaí, SC, Brazil, ISSN 0749-0208.