Multi-Species Fish Foraging Associations Involving Common Sydney Octopus With Crimsonband Wrasse, Günther's Wrasse and Yellowfin Bream

Abstract

Multi-species fish foraging associations occur when individuals from two or more aquatic species forage with one another. Associations involving octopuses have been documented in the Pacific, Atlantic and Indian Oceans and the Red Sea. To determine which fishes interact with an octopus species in temperate coastal waters off eastern Australia, we video-recorded foraging common Sydney octopus, Octopus tetricus, at Fly Point in the Port Stephens-Great Lakes Marine Park, New South Wales. This study provides evidence that crimsonband wrasse and Günther's wrasse from family Labridae and yellowfin bream from family Sparidae attend common Sydney octopus. The octopuses and attendants did not behave aggressively towards each other. However, aggression between different attendants and agonistic interactions between wrasses were observed. Octopuses produce visual cues, such as appearance changes and substrate disturbances, which may have attracted attendants. Following an octopus is a novel feeding behaviour that appears to be learned by only some individuals in each attendant species. These findings will improve our understanding of interspecies interactions and trophic relationships in temperate coastal marine ecosystems.