Abstract

CAMPOS, Carlos Eduardo Costa et al. Simbiose de limpeza de Thalassoma Noronhanum (Boulenger, 1890) (Labridae) na reserva biológica do Atol das Rocas, Rio Grande do Norte, Brasil. Rev. etol. [online]. 2006, vol.8, n.2, pp. 63-70. ISSN 1517-2805.

Cleaner fishes remove ectoparasites, injured tissue, mucus and scales from the body surface of other fishes. This habit is important for the maintenance and health of reef fish species. This cleaning interactions is known for about 100 species of fish, distributed in 19 families. The Noronha wrasse, Thalassoma noronhanum (Boulenger, 1890) is a reef-associated labrid endemic to the Brazilian coast, being regarded as a planktivore, a zoobenthivore, and a cleaner of several reef fishes. Was recorded cleaning 9 client fish species at Atol das Rocas Biological Reserve. The cleaning symbiosis occurred daily, between the 06:13 and 18:15h, in definitive and conspicuous places called stations of cleanness, having been more frequent the low tides. In the stations, the majority of the clients observed in the cleaning events was herbivores (66,7%), followed for the carnivores (22,3%) and planktivorous (11,0%).

Keywords : Cleaning symbiosis; Cleaning stations; Atol das Rocas; Labridae.

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