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Rub and move: barracudas (Sphyraena barracuda) use swimming turtles as scraping surfaces in the south-western Atlantic

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 May 2009

Alice Grossman ,
Cristina Sazima  and
Ivan Sazima
Alice Grossman
Affiliation:
Projeto Tamar/ICMBio, Alameda Boldró s/no, 53990-000 Fernando de Noronha, Pernambuco, Brazil
Cristina Sazima
Affiliation:
Departamento de Biologia Animal, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, 13083-970 Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil
Ivan Sazima*
Affiliation:
Museu de Zoologia, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, 13083-970 Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil (retired and associated as voluntary researcher)
*
Correspondence should be addressed to: I. Sazima, Museu de Zoologia, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, 13083-970 Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil email: isazima@gmail.com
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Abstract

The predaceous fish barracuda (Sphyraena barracuda) is recorded rubbing itself against the carapace of moving hawksbill (Eretmochelys imbricata) and green turtles (Chelonia mydas) at Fernando de Noronha Archipelago, off north-eastern Brazil. To scrape against such a rough surface is probably employed by the fish to get rid of external parasites.

Keywords

Sphyraenidaeparasitescomfort behaviourCheloniidaerough surfacesnorth-eastern Brazil

Information

Type
Research Article
Information
Marine Biodiversity Records , Volume 2 , January 2009 , e106
Copyright
Copyright © Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom 2009

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References

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