The bluestreak cleaner wrasse (L. dimidiatus) from the Labridae family shares
mutualistic relationships with a vast number of larger marine species,
specialising on crustacean ectoparasites and mucus. Vastly distributed throughout
shallow reef systems occupying cleaning stations associated with formations
such as coral heads and between two outcrops. This species of cleaner wrasse is
distributed throughout the Indo-Pacific from southern and eastern Africa to the
Tuamotus in the south Pacific, also from southern Japan to the Great Barrier Reef
and south-western Australia (Losey, 1972)
Coral reefs are one of the most species rich environments on earth,
they provide protection and habitat for a diverse range of sea life ranging
from large migratory mammals to small crustaceans, also a large amount of
bacteria and algae species. Cleaner wrasse encourage diversity within a coral
reef ecosystem by providing beneficial cleaning stations, typically occupied by
a group of youths, a pair of adults, or a group of females accompanied by a
dominant male. The cleaners greet the clients with an up and down motion of the
rear end and the fish respond by opening their mouths or exposing the area they
wish cleaned for example flaring their gills. In a recent experiment conducted
on the effect that cleaner wrasse have on coral reef communities it was found
that resident fish species were 37 % less abundant and 23 % reduced species
richness per reef when cleaner wrasse were removed. The investigation also showed
lower growth rate and survivorship among fish species within the community (Waldie et al., 2011).
A bluestreak fangblenny (Plagiotremus rhinorhynchos) has taken advantage
of the juvenile cleaner wrasse appearance to gain access to food, with a single blue strip down the lateral surface of the fish. The
fangblenny is found lurking around cleaning stations mimicking the appearance
and behaviour of the bluestreak cleaner wrasse, when in striking range they
ambush and use their fangs to tears pieces of flesh from client fish. They are
able to change their appearance accordingly and can be found in locations that
cleaners have not settled and occupy small crevasses and strike at shoals when
they swim by. These mimics have shown to reduce the number of clients that
enter the cleaning station which inevitably affects the feeding habits and
behaviour of the cleaner wrasse (Côté and
Cheney, 2005).
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| Figure 1.0 Difference in species. Top: Bluestreak cleaner wrasse. Bottom: Bluestreak fangblenny |
The crucial health benefits these cleaner wrasse provide in the
mutualistic relationship are very important in helping maintain species
diversity and richness in coral reef communities where a range of larger
species regularly visit. The bluestreak cleaner wrasse is not the only species
of cleaner fish that partakes in this mutualistic relationship, though is one
of the better known examples of cleaners in the marine environment.
References:
WALDIE, P. A., BLOMBERG, S. P.,
CHENEY, K. L., GOLDIZEN, A. W. & GRUTTER, A. S. 2011. Long-term effects of
the cleaner fish Labroides dimidiatus on coral reef fish communities. PLoS one, 6, e21201.
Figure 1. Difference in species of cleaner and mimic. (n.d) Available from http://ed101.bu.edu/StudentDoc/Archives/fall05/edwardsk/blueblenny.html. Retrieved on 03/05/2015
A nice example. Is there any evidence that fish in reefs with these bluestreak fangblennies are able to detect that they are not actually cleaners? Are there any controls in place that prevent too many cheaters from staying in the system? Nice post.
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