First report of cleaning activity of Lepadogaster candolii (Gobiesocidae) in the Mediterranean Sea

Weitzmann B., Mercader L.

Date de parution: septembre 2012
Volume: 36
Number: 3
Pagination: 487-488
doi: https://doi.org/10.26028/cybium/2012-363-009
Notes:

How to cite: Weitzmann, B., & Mercader, L. (2012). First report of cleaning activity of Lepadogaster candolii (Gobiesocidae) in the Mediterranean Sea. Cybium, 36(3): 487-488. https://doi.org/10.26028/CYBIUM/2012-363-009

Résumé

Cleaning behaviour is reported in Lepadogaster candolii Risso, 1810 for the first time. The observation took place in August 2009 during a SCUBA-diving at the Medes Islands Marine Reserve (NW Mediterranean). The individual, belonging to a species usually considered as cryptobenthic, was cleaning the mouth of a large Mediterranean dusky grouper Epinephelus marginatus (Lowe, 1834), who was holding its mouth open and keeping a still position at a distance from the ground. Up to now, little has been written about the ecology of the small clingfish of the Mediterranean Sea. This report shall give some useful information about the feeding behaviour of this species.

Mots-clés: Cleaning behaviour - First record - Gobiesocidae - Lepadogaster candolii - MED - Medes Islands
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