The effect of ration on behaviour, food consumption and growth in juvenilegreenback flounder (Rhombosolea tapirina : Teleostei)

Citation
Pa. Shelverton et Cg. Carter, The effect of ration on behaviour, food consumption and growth in juvenilegreenback flounder (Rhombosolea tapirina : Teleostei), J MARINE BI, 78(4), 1998, pp. 1307-1320
Citations number
38
Categorie Soggetti
Aquatic Sciences
Journal title
JOURNAL OF THE MARINE BIOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION OF THE UNITED KINGDOM
ISSN journal
00253154 → ACNP
Volume
78
Issue
4
Year of publication
1998
Pages
1307 - 1320
Database
ISI
SICI code
0025-3154(199811)78:4<1307:TEOROB>2.0.ZU;2-M
Abstract
This study examined the relationships between food ration, intra- and inter individual variation in food consumption, observed behaviours and the growt h of individual juvenile greenback flounder (Rhombosolea tapirina: Teleoste i) held singly and in groups. Agonistic, feeding and neutral behavioural un its were identified and described using video records and focal sampling. A gonistic behaviour, including nipping and pushing, were infrequent and acco unted for <5% of behavioural units. The influence of food ration upon agoni stic behaviour was investigated using three groups of six flounder offered either a low, medium or high food ration. The total number of agonistic beh aviours recorded in each group did not differ significantly (P > 0.05) sugg esting food ration had little influence upon the total number of agonistic behaviours performed. Single flounder showed less intra- and less interindi vidual variation in day-to-day food consumption than in groups of six. Vari ation in food consumption increased with increasing food ration in single a nd in groups of flounder. Significant positive correlations between food co nsumption, intraindividual variation in food consumption and specific growt h rate provided indirect evidence for the presence of feeding hierarchies. The small contribution made by agonistic behaviour to the total number of b ehaviours recorded for each group suggests exploitation competition, as opp osed to interference competition, was the dominant competitive mechanism em ployed by juvenile greenback flounder.