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• Autor(a) principal: Lodi, Liliane
• Data de Publicação: 1998
• Tipo de documento: Artigo
• Idioma: por
• Título da fonte: Biotemas (Online)
• Texto Completo: https://periodicos.ufsc.br/index.php/biotemas/article/view/21937

This study describes an interespecific association between spinner dolphins (Stenella longirostris) and the fishes black durgon (Melinchthys niger), sergeant major Abudefduf saxatilis) and jack (Carangoides sp.) in Dolphin's Bay, Fernando de Noronha Archipelago (3º51'S; 32º25'W) Brazil. The observations (n=17) weremade between June and September 1985 through the use of the snorkelling, totalling approximately 76 hours. When the spinner dolphins entered the bay after their night feeding period, they frequently defecated a light brown semiliquid fecal material, and this was immediately swallowed by the three fish species above, which are exclusive residents of the reefs. The interaction most commonly observed occurred with black durgon (55,7%), followed by sergeant major (28,3%) and jack (16%), all of which are opportunistic feeders. These interactions decrease in number throughout the morning as does the number of times the dolphins defecate. The spinner dolphins were not observed preying upon these fishes, althought on some occasions juvenile dolphins were seen chasing jacks, displaying behaviour which was clearly that of play.