Resumen
En los años 1985 y 1986, se estudió la abundancia y distribución de los principales organismos coralívoros del arrecife de la Isla del Caño, Costa Rica. Todas las especies observadas aumentaron de densidad de un año al otro, pero su distribución proporcional en las diferentes zonas del arrecife, i.e., plataforma, talud y base, fue muy similar entre años. Posiblemente el comportamiento y la alta densidad de peces damiselas y balístidos afectan la abundancia y distribución de otras especies de coralívoros. Las altas densidades de coralívoros que se alimentan preferiblemente del coral Pocillopora, i.e., cangrejos ermitaños, peces timboriles y el gastrópodo Quoyula, están afectando el crecimiento, recuperación y distribución de esta especie en el arrecife. Por otro lado, la alta densidad de balístidos pareciera favorecer la dispersión, por vía de fragmentación, de la especie de coral Porites lobata que domina todo el arrecife actualmente.
Citas
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Derechos de autor 1988 Revista de Biología Tropical