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3 November 2017 An Investigation of Lepidophagy (Scale Eating) in Cyprinodon Pupfishes on San Salvador Island, Bahamas
Matthew J. McLean, David G. Lonzarich
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Abstract

A recently described species of pupfish, Cyprinodon desquamator, was previously reported to have rapidly and sympatrically evolved lepidophagy (scale eating) on San Salvador Island, The Bahamas. Although lepidophagy is known from a variety of marine and freshwater fish species, the effects of this mode of predation on prey species have not previously been characterized. By examining scale regeneration rates in lakes with and without the scale-eating predator, we provide evidence suggesting that C. desquamator imposes high predation pressures on sympatric fishes, which supports the hypothesis that the feeding behavior of C. desquamator may have acted as an important driver of pupfish species divergence on San Salvador Island.

© 2017 by the American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists
Matthew J. McLean and David G. Lonzarich "An Investigation of Lepidophagy (Scale Eating) in Cyprinodon Pupfishes on San Salvador Island, Bahamas," Copeia 105(4), 626-629, (3 November 2017). https://doi.org/10.1643/CE-17-584
Received: 2 February 2017; Accepted: 5 June 2017; Published: 3 November 2017
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