Coal grunters shift benthic objects to access macroinvertebrates in a headwater stream
Brendan C. Ebner A C , James A. Donaldson A and Danswell Starrs BA TropWATER, James Cook University, Townsville, Qld 4811, Australia.
B Research School of Biology, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia.
C Corresponding author. Email: brendan.ebner@csiro.au
Pacific Conservation Biology 24(4) 417-418 https://doi.org/10.1071/PC18042
Submitted: 16 April 2018 Accepted: 24 June 2018 Published: 13 August 2018
Abstract
Few fishes have been documented shifting objects to access prey. Coal grunters were observed using the mouth, snout or nape to lift, flip or roll benthic objects and expose benthic macroinvertebrates during a series of daytime snorkelling sessions in a clear, sandy upland tributary of the Mitchell River, northern Queensland, Australia.
Additional keywords: animal behaviour, fish ecology, habitat interactions
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