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Cleaning behaviour of adult Bluestreak cleaner wrasse, Labroides dimidiatus (Perciformes: Labridae), in Oceanário de Lisboa

Catarina Freixial1, 2, Nuno Vasco-Rodrigues3*, Núria Baylina3 and Teresa Modesto2
  • 1 University of the Algarve, Portugal
  • 2 University of the Algarve, Portugal
  • 3 Oceanário de Lisboa, Portugal

Cleaning symbiosis is considered a form of mutualism. It is defined as the removal of unwanted particles or parasites from the ‘client’s’ body by the cleaner and is a common strategy in marine fishes. The Bluestreak cleaner wrasse, Labroides dimidiatus, plays an important role in coral reefs of the Indo-Pacific, since it acts as cleaner of larger animals. The presence of this species in aquariums intends to keep a low parasite load, thus reducing potential stress in fish. The objective of this study was to understand its cleaning behaviour in Oceanário de Lisboa’s main tank. One hour visual observations were performed daily, for 22 non-consecutive days in the four different sections of the tank (Atlantic, Antarctic, Pacific and Indian). Each of this sections has different environmental theming that mimics the habitats of each ocean. L. dimidiatus performed cleaning interactions with 57% of the species present in the tank, on a total of 3587 interactions, and Lutjanus griseus was its favourite host (14%) followed by Diagrama pictum (11%). The body area of the host where L. dimidiatus had higher number of interactions was the one defined as “body” with 69% of the interactions. The “Indian” was the section of the tank where more interactions occurred (34 % of the total). We conclude that L. dimidiatus acts as a cleaner of species that do not occur in its geographic range and that it prefers to establish cleaning stations in a familiar habitat, like the one provided by the “Indian” sector of the tank, a typical coral reef.

Acknowledgements

I would like to thank Nuno Vasco Rodrigues, from Oceanário de Lisboa, as well as the whole team and institution, and Teresa Modesto from the University of Algarve, for their help and contributions to this project. Without them it wouldn’t be possible.

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Keywords: Symbiosis, Mutualism, Labroides, dimidiatus, captive, Aquarium, wrasse, Cleaning behaviour

Conference: IMMR'18 | International Meeting on Marine Research 2018, Peniche, Portugal, 5 Jul - 6 Jul, 2018.

Presentation Type: Poster Presentation

Topic: Biodiversity, Conservation and Coastal Management

Citation: Freixial C, Vasco-Rodrigues N, Baylina N and Modesto T (2019). Cleaning behaviour of adult Bluestreak cleaner wrasse, Labroides dimidiatus (Perciformes: Labridae), in Oceanário de Lisboa. Front. Mar. Sci. Conference Abstract: IMMR'18 | International Meeting on Marine Research 2018. doi: 10.3389/conf.FMARS.2018.06.00043

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Received: 01 Apr 2018; Published Online: 07 Jan 2019.

* Correspondence: Mr. Nuno Vasco-Rodrigues, Oceanário de Lisboa, Lisbon, 1990-005, Portugal, nunovascorodrigues@gmail.com