Associations between fishes (Actinopterygii: Teleostei) and anthozoans (Anthozoa: Hexacorallia) in epipelagic waters based on in situ records

2025/09/05 by Gabriel Vinícius Felix Afonso, G. David Johnson, Richard Collins +1 · 1 voice
Environmental Science · #Coral and Marine Ecosystems Studies #Marine Ecology and Invasive Species #Marine and fisheries research

paper · pdf · doi:10.1111/jfb.70214

openalex publication_date 2025/09/05 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/22

Abstract

We formally describe the association of fishes and anthozoans in epipelagic waters, extending this relationship to beyond the benthos. In situ observations and photographs of Aluterus schoepfii, Ariomma regulus, Caranx cf. latus and Brama spp. swimming alongside or holding larval tube anemones (Cerianthidae and Arachnactidae) and larval zoanthids (Sphenopidae) were made during blackwater SCUBA dives off Palm Beach, Florida, USA, and off Punaauia, Tahiti, French Polynesia. We report and illustrate the behaviour of these interactions, and suggest an advantage for the anthozoans.

Citations

• Comprehensive phenotypic phylogenetic analysis supports the monophyly of stromateiform fishes (Teleostei: Percomorphacea)

Discussions

• #JFB: Associations between fishes (Actinopterygii: Teleostei) and anthozoans (Anthozoa: Hexacorallia) in epipelagic waters based on in situ records doi.org/10.1111/jfb.70214 #FishSci [bsky, 0 points, 0 comments]

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