Abstract Studies of the feeding habits of reef-inhabiting herbivorous species are important since they are the first level in the trophic chain between primary producers and consumers. This study is the first contribution to determine the diet of the convict surgeonfish Acanthurus triostegus from the Los Frailes reef, Baja California Sur, Mexico. We describe qualitative and quantitatively the trophic spectrum of 50 A. triostegus individuals, using the traditional methods of frequency of occurrence and weight, as well as the index of relative importance. Overall, we identified 35 food components, of which 18 were algae of the Class Rhodophyceae, 10 of the Chlorophyceae and six Phaeophyceae. We determined that A. triostegus is a strict diurnal herbivore, which mainly feeds on the green alga Ulva linza, and even though it is a species with a wide geographic distribution, its behavioral feeding pattern is homogeneous.

LITTLER, M. M. & LITTLER, D. S. 1980. The evolution of thallus form and survival strategies in benthic marine macroalgae: field and laboratory tests of a functional form model. The American Naturalist 116 (1): 25-44.

WELLINGTON, G. M. & VICTOR, B. C. 1988. Variation in components of reproductive success in an under saturated population of coral reef damselfish: a field perspective. American Naturalist 131: 588-601.

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aqua is an international journal which publishes original scientific articles in the fields of systematics, taxonomy, bio-geography, ethology, ecology, and general biology of fishes since 1994. Papers on freshwater, brackish, and marine fishes will be considered. aqua is fully refereed and aims at publishing manuscripts within 2-4 months of acceptance. In view of the importance of colour patterns in species identification and animal ethology, authors are encouraged to submit colour illustrations in addition to descriptions of coloration. It is our aim to provide the international scientific community with an efficiently published journal meeting high scientific and technical standards.

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