Sharks are the preferred scraping surface for large pelagic fishes: Possible implications for parasite removal and fitness in a changing ocean.

ABSTRACT: Mutualistic and commensal interactions can have significant positive impacts on animal fitness and survival. However, behavioural interactions between pelagic animals living in offshore oceanic environments are little studied. Parasites can negatively effect the fitness of their hosts by draining resources and diverting energy from growth, reproduction, and other bodily functions. Pelagic fishes are hosts to a diverse array of parasites, however their environment provides few options for removal. Here we provide records of scraping behaviour of several pelagic teleost species, a behaviour that is likely used for parasite removal. These records span three ocean basins and, to the best of our knowledge, include the first records of scraping interactions involving tunas, blue sharks, and mako

SUBMITTER: Thompson CDH 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9581428 | biostudies-literature | 2022

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature