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The relationship between lunar periodicity and activity of fish-parasitic gnathiid isopods in the Caribbean

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Abstract

Gnathiid isopod larvae are members of the marine demersal zooplankton community and are common ectoparasites of coral reef fishes, emerging from the substratum, mostly at night and crepuscular periods to feed on fish blood. Given that the activity of many marine organisms is often linked to changes in the phase of the moon, we examined the relationship between lunar phase and activity in gnathiid isopods on Caribbean reefs. We employed two sampling methods to quantify gnathiid activity: (1) Emergence traps set on reefs over a 24 h period; and (2) live fish placed in cages on reefs and retrieved during night and dawn peaks in gnathiid activity. These were compared during discrete phases as well as a continuous metric, the lunar “angle”, and an estimate of ambient light availability (luminance). Lunar phase and angle varied in their statistical effect on gnathiid activity patterns by sampling method and/or year. Luminance had a significant but inconsistent effect on measures of gnathiid activity. Our results suggest that changes in the lunar cycle are not a strong predictor of gnathiid activity at our shallow reef study sites.

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Acknowledgments

We thank E. Weil, L. Bunkley-Williams, E. Williams, G. Lopez, E. Otero-Morales, R. Bergner, S. Chambers, and the Isla Magueyes Marine Laboratories, University of Puerto Rico, for assistance in Puerto Rico; T. Turner, J. Lucas, J. Battey, K. Brown, R. Nemeth, D. Nemeth, and the staff of the Virgin Islands Environmental Resource Station, and Center for Marine and Environmental Studies, University of the Virgin Islands for assistance in the USVI; and the staff at Bellairs Research Institute, CARMABI Institute, and I Côté, J. Mallela, M. Harvey, P. Frade, and R. Jacinto for help in Barbados and Curacao. We also thank Earthwatch Institute, the Durfee Foundation, Microsoft Foundation, The Falconwood Corporation, the University of East Anglia, the John and Pamela Salter Charitable Trust, and the National Science Foundation (EPS-0346483) for financial support. This is publication number 90 from the University of the Virgin Islands Center for Marine and Environmental Studies.

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The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Ethical Standards

The sampling performed complies with the current laws of each country/territory in which they were performed.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biological Sciences, Arkansas State University, PO Box 599, State University, AR, 72467, USA

    Rachel L. Welicky, Ann Marie Coile, Amber McCammon & Paul C. Sikkel

  2. School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, 4072, Australia

    Karen L. Cheney

  3. Division of Science and Mathematics, University of the Virgin Islands, 2 John Brewers Bay, St. Thomas, 00802, USVI

    Amber McCammon

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  1. Rachel L. Welicky
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  5. Paul C. Sikkel
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Correspondence to Paul C. Sikkel.

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Communicated by F. Bulleri.

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Welicky, R.L., Cheney, K.L., Coile, A.M. et al. The relationship between lunar periodicity and activity of fish-parasitic gnathiid isopods in the Caribbean. Mar Biol 160, 1607–1617 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00227-013-2213-9

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