The relationship between the size of the feeding range of the red fin butterflyfish (Chaetodon trifasciatus Park, 1797) and hard coral cover at Danjugan Island, West of Negros, Philippines

• Main Authors: Ledesma, Micaela C., San Juan, Carlos Jose S., Garrido, Jose G.
• Format: text
• Language: English
• Published: Animo Repository 1999
• Subjects: Pterois volitans; Chaetodontidae; Biology
• Online Access: https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/etd_bachelors/11496
• Institution: De La Salle University

The foraging paths of the Chaetodon trifasciatus Park, 1797 were recorded and mapped out in May 1998, September 1998, and January 1999. The corresponding percent hard coral cover per site was recorded as well. The hypothesis upon which this study is based states that the relationship between the size of the foraging area of C. trifasciatus and percent hard coral cover is inversely proportional. The greater the coral cover, the smaller the size of the foraging area and the lesser coral cover, the larger the foraging area. The study however experienced factors of environmental stress and altered the foraging paths of the subjects in September 1998 and January 1999. The results showed to be contradictory to the hypothesis because the coral cover decreased in the succeeding study periods, the foraging path also decreased. Nonetheless, this study also reviewed other factors aside from coral cover that may affect the foraging areas of the C. trifasciatus.