trolling
in
the
lagoon.
All
fish were returned
to
the
research
ship,
The samples wer:
segregated by species, sealed in plastic bags, and frozen.
shipped by air to Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Livermore, C
for processing.
Over 1550 fish representing different reef and pelagic
species were caught for analysis at Bikini Atoll between 1977 and 1984.
SPECIES COLLECTED, FEEDING HABITS, AND TROPHIC-LEVEL RELATIONSHIPS
¥
The principal species collected are those that are commonly eaten by tt
Marshallese
people.
These
fish
are relatively abundant,
feeding habits, and, in some cases,
radiological
data were available
have
different
represent species for which previous
for comparison.
The feeding
habits and
trophic level assignments described below are from descriptions by Hiatt an
Strasburg. !8
Mullet,
Crenimugil
crenilabis
and Neomyxus chaptalii, are herbivorous
detrital feeders that ingest considerable quantities of bottom sediment alo
with their food.
Convict surgeonfish, Acanthurus triostequs, are herbivoro!
browsers that feed on small algal fronds and filamentous algae that grow ol
reef rock or on the base of dead coral.
second trophic level.
and
other
benthic
Goatfish, Mulloidichthys samoensis, consume, fossoria
fauna,
including
invertebrates, and small fish.
level.
Parrotfish,
Mullet and surgeonfish belong to tl
Scarus
small
clams,
crustaceans,
other
This species belongs to the third trophic
sordidus,
are common
reef-dwelling,
omnivores that feed on live coral heads and occasional algae.
grazing
Parrotfish a
placed in the fourth trophic level because their food source (live coral pol
that feed on zooplankton) is assigned to the third trophic level.
Larger benthic, midwater, and surface carnivores were also occasional]
collected near islands from the lagoon.
Jacks, Caranx melampygus (Ulua) ar
Elegatis bipinnulatus (rainbow runner), are fast-swimming carnivores that fe
on small fish and squid.
crustacea.
snapper),
Elegatis bipinnulatus may occasionally eat swimmi
Snappers, Aprion virescens (grey snapper) and Lutjanus bohar (r
are hovering,
midwater-to-surface
Letherinus kallopterus (pigfish),
benthic crustacea.
carnivores.
Another
snapper,
is a bottom dweller that feeds primarily
Jacks and snappers are in the fourth trophic level. Tur
Euthunnus affinis (bonito) and Gymnosarda nuda (Dog Tooth Tuna), and macker:
Grammatorcynus billineatus, are large,
9000560
rapid-swimming carnivores that feed
6