Ecology of Emblemariopsis pricei
 
Main Ref. Tyler, J.C. and D.M. Tyler, 1999
Remarks Exhibits very high microhabitat specifity, the only blenny found in holes of living corals. These holes were created by the serpulid worm Spirobranchus giganteus and when they are gone, the cavities in live scleractinian corals are occupied by black-headed breeding males. Females, non-breeding males, and immatures, are often found on the sea fan coral Gorgonia ventalina particularly at daytime. At night they spend their quiescent period on surface of rubble, coralline algae, live coral, or other substrate at the base of the sea fans. They may also be found near the cavities of the mature males. The females deposit their eggs to be fertilized and brooded by the males in the cavities. The pale non-breeding males occupy a cavity within few minutes after a resident mature male is disturbed or removed (by collectors) or when new cavities are available when a serpulid worm dies. Unlike in other chenopsides, there is no apparent intraspecies competition for quality shelter based on food availability but this species occupy all available cavities from upper to lower branches of the coral and from shallow water reef crests down to drop-offs 30 m deep. Also there was no interspecific competition since they are the only species in the Western Carribean able to routinely exploit live coral habitat while most other fishes compete on dead coral shelter sources. They may also be found in those coral rubble but does not actively compete there for space. E. diaphna may also inhabit sea fans based on a single reported occurrence from the eastern Caribbean but greater number of individuals of E. pricei spend more of their life history with sea fans. Such fish association with sea fans are common among gobies in the Indo-Pacific but are poorly known in the Atlantic (Ref. 51514).

Aquatic zones / Water bodies

Marine - Neritic Marine - Oceanic Brackishwater Freshwater
Marine zones / Brackish and freshwater bodies
  • supra-littoral zone
  • littoral zone
  • sublittoral zone
  • epipelagic
  • mesopelagic
  • epipelagic
  • abyssopelagic
  • hadopelagic
  • estuaries/lagoons/brackish seas
  • mangroves
  • marshes/swamps
  • rivers/streams
  • lakes/ponds
  • caves
  • exclusively in caves
Highighted items on the list are where Emblemariopsis pricei may be found.

Habitat

Substrate Benthic: mobile; Hard Bottom: rubble;
Substrate Ref. Tyler, J.C. and D.M. Tyler, 1999
Special habitats Coral Reefs; Corals: soft corals hard corals; Other habitats: other invertebrates (They breed in tube holes created and abandoned by serpulid worm Spirobranchus giganteus);
Special habitats Ref. Tyler, J.C. and D.M. Tyler, 1999

Associations

Ref. Tyler, J.C. and D.M. Tyler, 1999
Associations
Associated with live colonies of scleractinian corals: Acropora palmata, Colpophyllia natans, Diploria strigosa, Porites asteroides, Montastrea annularis; sea fan: Gorgonia ventalina; vermitid worm Spirobranchus giganteus.
Association remarks Although they are more often associated with live corals they were also be found in much smaller numbers in the cavities of dead corals A. palmata, P. asteroides, M. annularis. They breed in tube holes created and abandoned by serpulid worm Spirobranchus giganteus. They may also be associated at night on coralline algae at the base of the sea fan Gorgonia ventalina. Unlike in other chenopsids, there is no apparent intraspecies competition for quality shelter based on food availability but this species occupy all available cavities. Also there was no interspecific competition since they are the only species in the Western Carribean associated with live corals. They may also be found in those coral rubble but does not actively compete there for space. E. diaphna may also inhabit sea fans based on a single reported occurrence from the eastern Caribbean but greater number of individuals of E. pricei spend more of their life history with sea fans. Such fish association with sea fans are common among gobies in the Indo-Pacific but are poorly known in the Atlantic (Ref. 51514).
Parasitism

Feeding

Feeding type
Feeding type Ref.
Feeding habit
Feeding habit Ref.
Trophic Level(s)
Estimation method Original sample Unfished population Remark
Troph s.e. Troph s.e.
From diet composition
From individual food items
Ref.
(e.g. 346)
(e.g. cnidaria)
Comments & Corrections
 
 
Back to Search
cfm script by eagbayani,  ,  php script by rolavides, 2/5/2008 ,  last modified by mbactong, 10/24/19