Chemical versus structural defense against fish predation in two dominant soft coral species (Xeniidae) in the Red Sea

Soft corals of the family Xeniidae are particularly abundant in Red Sea coral reefs. Their success may be partly due to a strong defense mechanism against fish predation. To test this, we conducted field and aquarium experiments in which we assessed the anti-feeding effect of secondary metabolites o...

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Autores principales:	BX Hoang, Y Sawall, A Al-Sofyani, M Wahl
Formato:	article
Lenguaje:	EN
Publicado:	Inter-Research 2015
Materias:	Biology (General) QH301-705.5 Microbiology QR1-502
Acceso en línea:	https://doaj.org/article/a23fdc5ae3c446cdac944bd03ebc54e5
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spelling	oai:doaj.org-article:a23fdc5ae3c446cdac944bd03ebc54e52021-11-18T09:20:28ZChemical versus structural defense against fish predation in two dominant soft coral species (Xeniidae) in the Red Sea1864-77821864-779010.3354/ab00614https://doaj.org/article/a23fdc5ae3c446cdac944bd03ebc54e52015-01-01T00:00:00Zhttps://www.int-res.com/abstracts/ab/v23/n2/p129-137/https://doaj.org/toc/1864-7782https://doaj.org/toc/1864-7790Soft corals of the family Xeniidae are particularly abundant in Red Sea coral reefs. Their success may be partly due to a strong defense mechanism against fish predation. To test this, we conducted field and aquarium experiments in which we assessed the anti-feeding effect of secondary metabolites of 2 common xeniid species, Ovabunda crenata and Heteroxenia ghardaqensis. In the field experiment, the metabolites of both investigated species reduced feeding on experimental food pellets in the natural population of Red Sea reef fishes by 86 and 92% for O. crenata and H. ghardaqensis, respectively. In the aquarium experiment, natural concentration of soft coral crude extract reduced feeding on experimental food pellets in the moon wrasse Thalassoma lunare (a common reef fish) by 83 and 85% for O. crenata and H. ghardaqensis, respectively. Moon wrasse feeding was even reduced at extract concentrations as low as 12.5% of the natural crude extract concentration in living soft coral tissues. To assess the potential of a structural anti-feeding defense, sclerites of O. crenata (H. ghardaqensis lacks sclerites) were extracted and mixed into food pellets at natural, doubled and reduced concentration without and in combination with crude extract at 25% of natural concentration, and tested in an aquarium experiment. The sclerites did not show any effect on the feeding behavior of the moon wrasse, indicating that sclerites provide structural support rather than anti-feeding defense. We conclude that the conspicuous abundance of xeniid soft coral species in the Red Sea is likely a consequence of a strong chemical defense, rather than physical defenses, against potential predators.BX HoangY SawallA Al-SofyaniM WahlInter-ResearcharticleBiology (General)QH301-705.5MicrobiologyQR1-502ENAquatic Biology, Vol 23, Iss 2, Pp 129-137 (2015)
institution	DOAJ
collection	DOAJ
language	EN
topic	Biology (General) QH301-705.5 Microbiology QR1-502
spellingShingle	Biology (General) QH301-705.5 Microbiology QR1-502 BX Hoang Y Sawall A Al-Sofyani M Wahl Chemical versus structural defense against fish predation in two dominant soft coral species (Xeniidae) in the Red Sea
description	Soft corals of the family Xeniidae are particularly abundant in Red Sea coral reefs. Their success may be partly due to a strong defense mechanism against fish predation. To test this, we conducted field and aquarium experiments in which we assessed the anti-feeding effect of secondary metabolites of 2 common xeniid species, Ovabunda crenata and Heteroxenia ghardaqensis. In the field experiment, the metabolites of both investigated species reduced feeding on experimental food pellets in the natural population of Red Sea reef fishes by 86 and 92% for O. crenata and H. ghardaqensis, respectively. In the aquarium experiment, natural concentration of soft coral crude extract reduced feeding on experimental food pellets in the moon wrasse Thalassoma lunare (a common reef fish) by 83 and 85% for O. crenata and H. ghardaqensis, respectively. Moon wrasse feeding was even reduced at extract concentrations as low as 12.5% of the natural crude extract concentration in living soft coral tissues. To assess the potential of a structural anti-feeding defense, sclerites of O. crenata (H. ghardaqensis lacks sclerites) were extracted and mixed into food pellets at natural, doubled and reduced concentration without and in combination with crude extract at 25% of natural concentration, and tested in an aquarium experiment. The sclerites did not show any effect on the feeding behavior of the moon wrasse, indicating that sclerites provide structural support rather than anti-feeding defense. We conclude that the conspicuous abundance of xeniid soft coral species in the Red Sea is likely a consequence of a strong chemical defense, rather than physical defenses, against potential predators.
format	article
author	BX Hoang Y Sawall A Al-Sofyani M Wahl
author_facet	BX Hoang Y Sawall A Al-Sofyani M Wahl
author_sort	BX Hoang
title	Chemical versus structural defense against fish predation in two dominant soft coral species (Xeniidae) in the Red Sea
title_short	Chemical versus structural defense against fish predation in two dominant soft coral species (Xeniidae) in the Red Sea
title_full	Chemical versus structural defense against fish predation in two dominant soft coral species (Xeniidae) in the Red Sea
title_fullStr	Chemical versus structural defense against fish predation in two dominant soft coral species (Xeniidae) in the Red Sea
title_full_unstemmed	Chemical versus structural defense against fish predation in two dominant soft coral species (Xeniidae) in the Red Sea
title_sort	chemical versus structural defense against fish predation in two dominant soft coral species (xeniidae) in the red sea
publisher	Inter-Research
publishDate	2015
url	https://doaj.org/article/a23fdc5ae3c446cdac944bd03ebc54e5
work_keys_str_mv	AT bxhoang chemicalversusstructuraldefenseagainstfishpredationintwodominantsoftcoralspeciesxeniidaeintheredsea AT ysawall chemicalversusstructuraldefenseagainstfishpredationintwodominantsoftcoralspeciesxeniidaeintheredsea AT aalsofyani chemicalversusstructuraldefenseagainstfishpredationintwodominantsoftcoralspeciesxeniidaeintheredsea AT mwahl chemicalversusstructuraldefenseagainstfishpredationintwodominantsoftcoralspeciesxeniidaeintheredsea
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Chemical versus structural defense against fish predation in two dominant soft coral species (Xeniidae) in the Red Sea

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