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Article
Open AccessRoles of depth, current speed, and benthic cover in sha** gorgonian assemblages at the Palm Islands (Great Barrier Reef)
Gorgonians are a diverse and conspicuous component of coral reef ecosystems, providing habitat structure that supports unique assemblages of fishes and invertebrates. Evaluating their overall importance as eco...
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Article
Open AccessRank change and growth within social hierarchies of the orange clownfish, Amphiprion percula
Social hierarchies within groups define the distribution of resources and provide benefits that support the collective group or favor dominant members. The progression of individuals through social hierarchies...
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Article
High diversity, abundance and distinct fish assemblages on submerged coral reef pinnacles compared to shallow emergent reefs
Coral reefs exhibit consistent patterns in biodiversity across multiple spatial scales, from local to global clines in species richness, abundance and community structure. Knowledge of fundamental processes dr...
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Article
Isolation promotes abundance and species richness of fishes recruiting to coral reef patches
Habitat area and fragmentation are recognised as important factors that influence population size, community structure and extinction risk. Abundance and species richness universally increase with habitat area...
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Article
Coral reef annihilation, persistence and recovery at Earth’s youngest volcanic island
The structure and function of coral reef ecosystems is increasingly compromised by multiple stressors, even in the most remote locations. Severe, acute disturbances such as volcanic eruptions represent extreme...
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Article
Characterisation and cross-amplification of 42 microsatellite markers in two Amphiprion species (Pomacentridae) and a natural hybrid anemonefish to inform genetic structure within a hybrid zone
The hybrid anemonefish, Amphiprion leucokranos, is known to be the product of ongoing, introgressive hybridization between parent taxa Amphiprion sandaracinos and Amphiprion chrysopterus. Hybridization is an impo...
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Article
Comparative analysis of habitat use and ontogenetic habitat-shifts among coral reef damselfishes
Habitat characteristics play an important role in determining the structure of fish communities. The decline in fish diversity and abundance with the decline in coral diversity and cover may be explained by ha...
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Article
Stable isotope analysis reveals trophic diversity and partitioning in territorial damselfishes on a low-latitude coral reef
Investigating the niche overlap of ecologically similar species can reveal the mechanisms that drive spatial partitioning in high-diversity systems. Understanding how food resources are used and whether the di...
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Article
Depth and reef profile: effects on the distribution and abundance of coral reef fishes
The physical and biological structure of coral reef habitats vary in relation to depth and the profile of the reef, from vertical walls to gentle slopes. The differing roles of depth and reef profile on fish d...
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Article
Local extinction of a coral reef fish explained by inflexible prey choice
While global extinctions of marine species are infrequent, local extinctions are becoming common. However, the role of habitat degradation and resource specialisation in explaining local extinction is unknown....
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Article
From cooperation to combat: adverse effect of thermal stress in a symbiotic coral-crustacean community
Although mutualisms are ubiquitous in nature, our understanding of the potential impacts of climate change on these important ecological interactions is deficient. Here, we report on a thermal stress-related s...
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Article
Habitat preferences of a corallivorous reef fish: predation risk versus food quality
Many animals preferentially select a habitat from a range of those potentially available. However, the consequences of these preferences for distribution and abundance, and the underlying basis of habitat pref...
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Article
Erratum to: Patterns of recruitment and microhabitat associations for three predatory coral reef fishes on the southern Great Barrier Reef, Australia
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Article
Suspended sediment alters predator–prey interactions between two coral reef fishes
Sediment derived from agriculture and development increases water turbidity and threatens the health of inshore coral reefs. In this study, we examined whether suspended sediment could change predation pattern...
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Article
Patterns of recruitment and microhabitat associations for three predatory coral reef fishes on the southern Great Barrier Reef, Australia
This study examined recruitment patterns and microhabitat associations for three carnivorous fishes, Plectropomus maculatus, Lutjanus carponotatus and Epinephelus quoyanus, at the Keppel Islands, southern Great B...
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Article
High rate of prey consumption in a small predatory fish on coral reefs
Small piscivores are regarded as important regulators of the composition of coral reef fish communities, but few studies have investigated their predatory ecology or impact on assemblages of juvenile fishes. T...
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Article
Identification of seventeen microsatellite markers for conservation genetic studies of the endemic anemonefish, Amphiprion mccullochi
Endemic species at remote islands have a high risk of extinction because they often exhibit ecological, biological and genetic traits that make them particularly vulnerable to disturbances. McCulloch’s anemone...
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Article
Patterns of migration between feeding and spawning sites in a coral reef surgeonfish
Many coral reef fishes exhibit regular localised migrations between feeding and spawning areas, but the factors affecting these migration patterns, such as the distance, frequency and spawning site fidelity ar...
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Article
Rising CO2 concentrations affect settlement behaviour of larval damselfishes
Reef fish larvae actively select preferred benthic habitat, relying on olfactory, visual and acoustic cues to discriminate between microhabitats at settlement. Recent studies show exposure to elevated carbon d...
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Article
Ontogenetic changes in responses to settlement cues by Anemonefish
Population connectivity for most marine species is dictated by dispersal during the pelagic larval stage. Although reef fish larvae are known to display behavioral adaptations that influence settlement site se...
