Abstract
BackgroundIn order to understand feeding ecology and habitat use of coral reef fish, fatty acid composition was examined in five coral reef fishes, Thalassoma lunare, Lutjanus lutjanus, Abudefduf bengalensis, Scarus rivulatus and Scolopsis affinis collected in the Bidong Island of Malaysian South China Sea.ResultsProportions of saturated fatty acids (SAFA) ranged 57.2% 74.2%, with the highest proportions in fatty acids, the second highest was monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) ranged from 21.4% to 39.0% and the proportion of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) was the lowest ranged from 2.8% to 14.1%. Each fatty acid composition differed among fishes, suggesting diverse feeding ecology, habitat use and migration during the fishes’ life history in the coral reef habitats.ConclusionsDiets of the coral fish species might vary among species in spite of that each species are living sympatrically. Differences in fatty acid profiles might not just be considered with respect to the diets, but might be based on the habitat and migration.
Highlights
In order to understand feeding ecology and habitat use of coral reef fish, fatty acid composition was examined in five coral reef fishes, Thalassoma lunare, Lutjanus lutjanus, Abudefduf bengalensis, Scarus rivulatus and Scolopsis affinis collected in the Bidong Island of Malaysian South China Sea
Several information regarding taxonomy and distribution in coral fish species is available in Malaysian water, few study has done for their life history, ecology and reproduction compared to other coral reef area
Fatty acid analyses were used to investigate the habitat ecology of five coral reef fish species, Thalassoma lunare, Lutjanus lutjanus, Abudefduf bengalensis, Scarus rivulatus and Scolopsis affinis collected in the Bidong Island of the Malaysian South China Sea where few information have reported in ecology and biology in the fishes
Summary
Proportions of saturated fatty acids (SAFA) ranged 57.2% 60.8%, with the highest proportions in fatty acids (Table 1). Significant differences were found in C14:0 (myristoleic acid), C16:0, C18:0 (stearic acid), C20:0 (arachidic acid) and ∑SAFA between fish species (p < 0.05-0.0001). Monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) were the second dominant ranged from 21.4% to 39.0% (Table 1). Significant differences were found in C16:1, C18:1ω9t and ∑MUFA between fish species (p < 0.05-0.0005), no significant differences were found in other fatty acids between species (p > 0.05). The proportion of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) was low ranged from 2.8% to 14.1% (Table 1). No significant differences were found between fish species (p > 0.05). Significant differences were found in each SAFA and ∑SAFA between fish species (p < 0.050.001). Stomach content for each fish could not identify prey organisms under macro- and micro-observations
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