Interações agonísticas e forrageamento do peixe-donzela, Stegastes fuscus (Peciformes: Pomacentridae)
Resumo
Os peixes–donzela do gênero Stegastes possuem uma evidente agressividade intra e interespecífica para com outros herbívoros dentro do seu território. Os modelos propostos para explicar o territorialismo focalizam o custo–benefício dessa defesa, p. ex. no tempo alocado em alimentação, como o principal determinante na estabilidade evolutiva desse comportamento. No presente trabalho, foram medidas as taxas de forrageamento e de “perseguição” (= chasing behavior) do peixe–donzela comum (Stegastes fuscus), para testar a hipótese de que quanto mais tempo é gasto em interações agonísticas menos tempo se gasta em alimentação. Além disso, foi testado se os peixes jovens, por terem metabolismo mais rápido, têm uma taxa de forrageamento mais alta do que os adultos, e se os adultos apresentam taxas de interação agonística mais altas do que os jovens. A correlação entre o número de investidas no substrato (taxa de forrageamento) e o número de perseguições não foi significativa (r= -0,122). Não houve diferenças significativas entre as médias do número de investidas no substrato, ao longo das diferentes fases da vida (ANOVA F=2,864; p=0,067). A média de interações agonísticas foi significativamente menor nos jovens quando comparada a dos adultos e subadultos (ANOVA F=3,629; p=0,034; SNK jovem < subadulto = adulto). Por exercerem dominância nos seus territórios com base na agressividade e no seu tamanho, os adultos e subadultos despendem maior tempo em perseguições. Esses dados sugerem que o investimento de tempo na defesa do território do Stegastes fuscus não influencia a sua taxa de forrageamento, e que os custos do comportamento agonístico podem ser mínimos para essa espécie.
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