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  • Distinct habitat selection by freshwater morays in tropical rainforest streams

    Author(s)
    Ebner, Brendan C
    Fulton, Christopher J
    Donaldson, James A
    Schaffer, Jason
    Griffith University Author(s)
    Ebner, Brendan C.
    Year published
    2016
    Metadata
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    Abstract
    Morays occupy unique interstitial habitats and function as key predators in marine ecosystems. Conversely, there is limited understanding of the ecology of Gymnothorax polyuranodon, the lone representative of the family Muraenidae known to reside in freshwater systems. In this study, we used field‐based encounters over a 3‐year period in three short–steep–coastal–streams of the Australian Wet Tropics to find that most G. polyuranodon individuals (74%) occupied pools, with very few individuals observed in run (23%) or riffle (3%) mesohabitats. Moreover, G. polyuranodon positively selected microhabitats of slow flow (<0.05 ...
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    Morays occupy unique interstitial habitats and function as key predators in marine ecosystems. Conversely, there is limited understanding of the ecology of Gymnothorax polyuranodon, the lone representative of the family Muraenidae known to reside in freshwater systems. In this study, we used field‐based encounters over a 3‐year period in three short–steep–coastal–streams of the Australian Wet Tropics to find that most G. polyuranodon individuals (74%) occupied pools, with very few individuals observed in run (23%) or riffle (3%) mesohabitats. Moreover, G. polyuranodon positively selected microhabitats of slow flow (<0.05 ms−1) and deep water (>80 cm), while avoiding high flows (>0.5 ms−1) and shallow water (<40 cm depth). Morays exhibited strong preferences for boulders (73% of the immediate stream bed area occupied relative to 36% availability) with most individuals resting directly underneath large or very large boulders. Collecting and compiling records of this rare and elusive species over the long‐term helped to reveal such habitat specialisation. Future management plans for G. polyuranodon should focus on preserving boulder interstices year‐round and maintaining stream‐sea connectivity to facilitate a diadromous life cycle.
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    Journal Title
    Ecology of Freshwater Fish
    DOI
    https://doi.org/10.1111/eff.12213
    Note
    This publication has been entered into Griffith Research Online as an Advanced Online Version.
    Subject
    Ecology
    Ecology not elsewhere classified
    Zoology
    Fisheries sciences
    Publication URI
    http://hdl.handle.net/10072/141239
    Collection
    • Journal articles

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