Role of habitat complexity in mediating predation by the gray damselfish Abudefduf sordidus on epiphytal amphipods

Abstract

In laboratory expenments w~th artificial substrata Hawailan epiphytal amphlpods dld not select substrata for their complexlty Increased substrata complexlty did medlate predahon by the Hawallan damselflsh Abudefduf sorddus The data also suggest that prey amphlpod mohon elicits predator f~sh stnkes These results corroborate recent studies whch directly relate habltat complexlty with Increased prey survival from predabon and contnbutes addit~onal information on the mechanism of prey selecbon by predators INTRODUCTION