The macroecology of marine cleaning mutualisms

FLOETER, S. R.; VÁZQUEZ, D. P.; GRUTTER, A. S.

Journal of Animal Ecology

Año: 2007 vol. 76 p. 105 - 111

1.Marine cleaning mutualisms generally involve small fish or shrimps removingectoparasites and other material from cooperating ‘client’ fish. We evaluate the role offish abundance, body size and behaviour as determinants of interactions with cleaningmutualists.2.Data come from eight reef locations in Brazil, the Caribbean, the Mediterranean andAustralia.3.We conducted a meta-analysis of client–cleaner interactions involving 11 cleanerand 221 client species.4.There was a strong, positive effect of client abundance on cleaning frequency, butonly a weak, negative effect of client body size. These effects were modulated by clienttrophic group and social behaviour.5.This study adds to a growing body of evidence suggesting a central role of speciesabundance in structuring species interactions.