Auchenionchus variolosus is a species of labrisomid blenny endemic to the Pacific waters off the coast of Chile. While juveniles primarily consume amphipods, their diet shifts to decapods as the mature. This species can reach 18 cm (7.1 in) in total length.[2]
| Auchenionchus variolosus | |
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Scientific classification 
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| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Blenniiformes |
| Family: | Labrisomidae |
| Genus: | Auchenionchus |
| Species: | A. variolosus
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| Binomial name | |
| Auchenionchus variolosus (Valenciennes, 1836)
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| Synonyms | |
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Biology
editStudy shows that the larvae of A. variolosus has a diet that is composed of mainly 15-19 prey items. These include early stages of copepods; the nauplii, metanauplii and copepodites, dinoflagellate cysts, cypris larvae, calyptopis, ostracods, the eggs of invertebrates and fishes. In terms of frequency, copepod nauplii are the most important prey item during the larval period. However, copepod nauplii are smaller in size and have low energy content therefore, with the passage of time and growth in the larvae of A.variolosus, copepodites gain importance in the diet instead of copepod nauplii. Also, the niche breadth of A. variolosus is independent of its larval size.[3]
References
edit- ^ Craig, M.T.; Williams, J.T. (2014). "Auchenionchus variolosus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2014: e.T185173A1776376. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2014-3.RLTS.T185173A1776376.en. Retrieved 19 November 2021.
- ^ Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.). "Auchenionchus variolosus". FishBase. October 2013 version.
- ^ J.Vera-Duarte; M.F.Landaeta (2016). "Diet of Labrisomid blenny Auchenionchus variolosus during its larval development off central Chile". Journal of Applied Ichthyology. 32: 46–54. doi:10.1111/jai.12935.
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