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Diet and Temporal Partitioning Facilitates Coexistence Between Two Octopus Species in a Shallow Coastal Habitat

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Date Issued:
2017
Summary:
Niche partitioning mechanisms may be used by closely related, sympatric species to reduce competition. We examine two dimensions of niche partitioning (diet and temporal) amongst the common octopus (Octopus vulgaris) and the Atlantic longarm octopus (Macrotritopus defilippi), which spatially overlap in a South Florida intracoastal habitat. SCUBA is used to collect octopus prey remains and gather supplemental feeding images to determine diets of each species. A 24h octopus monitoring camera records foraging activity times for each species. The common octopus consumes bivalves (49%), gastropods (32%) and crustaceans (19%), and forages at dawn, dusk, and nocturnal hours. The Atlantic longarm octopus consumes crustaceans (89%) and bivalves (11%), and forages during diurnal hours. Results suggest there is diet overlap between species and octopuses use temporal partitioning. This study provides additional findings to cephalopod niche partitioning literature, novel information on the ecology of the Atlantic longarm octopus, and conservation requirements for sand-dwelling species.
Title: Diet and Temporal Partitioning Facilitates Coexistence Between Two Octopus Species in a Shallow Coastal Habitat.
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Name(s): Bartz, Danielle
Bennice, Chelsea
Brooks, W. Randy
Office of Undergraduate Research and Inquiry
Type of Resource: text
Genre: Poster
Date Created: 2017
Date Issued: 2017
Publisher: Florida Atlantic University
Place of Publication: Boca Raton, Florida
Physical Form: application/pdf
Extent: 1 p.
Language(s): English
Summary: Niche partitioning mechanisms may be used by closely related, sympatric species to reduce competition. We examine two dimensions of niche partitioning (diet and temporal) amongst the common octopus (Octopus vulgaris) and the Atlantic longarm octopus (Macrotritopus defilippi), which spatially overlap in a South Florida intracoastal habitat. SCUBA is used to collect octopus prey remains and gather supplemental feeding images to determine diets of each species. A 24h octopus monitoring camera records foraging activity times for each species. The common octopus consumes bivalves (49%), gastropods (32%) and crustaceans (19%), and forages at dawn, dusk, and nocturnal hours. The Atlantic longarm octopus consumes crustaceans (89%) and bivalves (11%), and forages during diurnal hours. Results suggest there is diet overlap between species and octopuses use temporal partitioning. This study provides additional findings to cephalopod niche partitioning literature, novel information on the ecology of the Atlantic longarm octopus, and conservation requirements for sand-dwelling species.
Identifier: FA00005613 (IID)
Subject(s): College students --Research --United States.
Held by: Florida Atlantic University Libraries
Sublocation: Digital Library
Persistent Link to This Record: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00005613
Restrictions on Access: Author retains rights.
Host Institution: FAU