Risk-sensitive foraging does not explain condition-dependent choices in settling reef fish larvae.

ABSTRACT: The transition from the planktonic larval to the benthic adult stage in reef fishes is perilous, and involves decisions about habitat selection and group membership. These decisions are consequential because they are essentially permanent (many fish rarely leave their initial settlement habitat, at least for the first several days or weeks). In one common Caribbean reef fish, the bluehead wrasse (Thalassoma bifasciatum), settling larvae either join groups or remain solitary. Grouped fish have lower mortality rates but slightly slower growth rates, and fish that are smaller at the time of settlement are less likely to join groups. We hypothesized that the decision of smaller (i.e., lower condition) fish to remain solitary could be explained by risk-sensitive foraging: with less compe

SUBMITTER: Bogdan EE 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6964687 | biostudies-literature | 2020

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature