Food habits of reef fishes of the West Indies

The stomach contents of 5,526 specimens of 212 species of reef and inshore fishes representing 60 families were analyzed. Most of these fishes were collected by spearfishing in Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. The principal plant and animal groups eaten by the fishes are listed by percentage volume of the stomach contents under fish family and species headings. When practicable, the food organisms were identified. Following the species accounts, the major groups of food organisms are discussed. “Shelled”-invertebrate feeders: The eagle ray Aetobatis narinari; the grunts Anisotremus surinamensis, Haemulon carbonarium, H. macrostomum, and to a lesser extent H. plumieri and H. sciurus; the porgy Calamus bajonado, and to a lesser degree other species of Calamus; the permit Trachinotus falcatus; the wrasses Bodianus rufus, Halichoeres spp. (except maculipinna), Hemipteronotus novacula, and Lachnolaimus maximus; the triggerfish Balistes vetula; the trunkfish Lactophrys trigonus; the puffer Sphaeroides spengleri; and the porcupinefishes (Diodontidae). All of these fishes are able to crush their prey of gastropods, pelecypods, echinoderms, crabs, and hermit crabs with their jaws or pharyngeal teeth. In the following summary, the various families, genera, and species of fishes are grouped into major feeding categories, based on their principal food habits as determined from the data of this report. Plant and detritus feeders (food 50 per cent or more plant material) : The mullet Mugil curema; the porgies Archosargus rhomboidalis and Diplodus caudimacula; the sea chubs (Kyphosidae); the damselfishes Abudefduf taurus, Microspathodon chrysurus, Pomacentrus fuscus, and P. variabilis; the parrotfishes (Scaridae); the gobies Coryphopterus glaucofraenum and Gnatholepis thompsoni (and probably the other gobiids as well); the angelfish Centropyge argi; the surgeonfishes (Acanthuridae); the blennies Blennius cristatus, B. marmoreus, Entomacrodus nigricans, and Ophioblennius atlanticus; the triggerfish Melichthys niger; and the filefish Alutera schoepfi. In addition, the following omnivorous fishes feed heavily on marine plants: the halfbeak Hemiramphus brasiliensis; the damselfishes Pomacentrus leucostictus and P. planifrons; the angelfishes Pomacanthus arcuatus and P. paru; the filefishes Alutera scripta, Cantherhines pullus, and Monacanthus ciliatus, and the sharpnose puffer Canthigaster rostrata. Generalized carnivores (on a variety of mobile benthic animals such as crustaceans, worms, and small fishes): The stingray Dasyatis americana; the moray Echidna catenata (all crustaceans, mostly crabs); the snake eels Myrichthys acuminatus and M. oculatus; the squirrelfishes Holocentrus spp. ; the groupers Alphestes afer, Cephalopholis fulva, Epinephelus spp. , Hypoplectrus spp. , Petrometopon cruentatum, and Serranus tigrinus: the soapfish Rypticus saponaceus, the snappers Lutjanus spp. (except L. cyanopterus which feeds on fishes, as to a lesser extent do L. apodus. L. jocu, and L. mahogoni); the grunts Anisotremus virginicus, Haemulon album, H. aurolineatum, H. chrysargyreum, H. flavolineatum, and H. parra; the mojarras (Gerreidae); the drums Equetus lanceolatus and E. punctatus; the goatfishes (Mullidae); the tilefish Malacanthus plumieri: the palometa Trachinotus glaucus; the wrasse Halichoeres maculipinna; the flounder Bothus ocellatus; the clinids Labrisomus spp. ; the jawfishes Opisthognathus spp. (except O. aurifrons); the scorpionfishes (Scorpaenidae); the flying gurnard Dactylopterus volitans; the trunkfish Lactophrys triqueter; and the batfish Ogcocephalus nasutus. Zooplankton feeders: The herrings (Clupeidae); the round herrings (Dussumieridae); the garden eel Taenioconger halis; the halfbeak Hemiramphus balao; the soldierfish Myripristis jacobus; the silversides (Atherinidae); the creole fish Paranthias furcifer; the sea bass Serranus tortugarum; the fairy basslets (Grammidae); the hawkfish Amblycirrhitus pinos; the cardinalfishes (Apogonidae); the big-eyes (Priacanthidae); the sweeper Pempheris schomburgki; the boga Inermia vittata; the snapper Ocyurus chrysurus (except large adults); the drum Equetus acuminatus; the scads Decapterus macarellus, D. punctatus, and Selar crumenophthalmus; the damselfishes Chromis cyanea and C. multilineata; the razorfish Hemipteronotus splendens; and the jawfish Opisthognathus aurifrons. The following fishes also feed in part on animals of the plankton: the croaker Odontoscion dentex; the remoras (Echeneidae); the damselfish Abudefdu saxatilis; the wrasse Thalassoma bifasciatum; the triggerfishes Canthidermis sufflamen and Melichthys niger; and the filefishes Monacanthus ciliatus and M. tuckeri. In addition, the juveniles of many fishes such as the Ectoparasite feeders: Juvenile porkfish Anisotremus virginicus; the shark suckers Echeneis naucrates and Remora remora; the wrasses Bodianus rufus and Thalassoma bifasciatum (the former as juveniles, the latter as juveniles and adults except the terminal male phase); the goby Elacatinus sp. ; and juvenile angelfishes of the genera Holacanthus and Pomacanthus. In addition, the fairy basslet Gramma loreto and the young of the damsel-fish Microspathodon chrysurus occasionally feed in part on the crustacean ectoparasites of fishes. Probably none of these fishes are facultative “cleaners. ” The shark suckers, Thalassoma bifasciatum, and the young angelfishes appear to feed more on other organisms than on fish parasites. Fish feeders: Sharks of the families Orectolobidae (reported to feed heavily on various invertebrates as well) and Carcharhinidae; the tarpon 1 Contribution from the Institute of Marine Biology, University of Puerto Rico, Mayaguez, P. R.