
Overview
Background
My research interests are in coral reef ecology and marine parasitology.
I also incorporate other fields in my research including evolutionary biology, molecular biology, parasitology, and animal behaviour. I use field observations to generate hypotheses which are tested using field and laboratory experiments.
Currently, I have research programmes at Lizard Island on the Great Barrier Reef and on campus.
Specific projects include:
Cleaning symbiosis as a model system for developing and testing models of non-kin cooperation in multispecies mutualisms
The ecological significance of cleaning behaviour in reef fishes
The direct and indirect effects of cleaner fish on the coral reef community
Interactions between larval coral reef fish and parasites
The effects of parasites on fish physiology
The taxonomy of gnathiid isopods and their identification using DNA
The role of colour and pattern in communication among animals
The molecular and colour pattern biogeography of cleaner fish
Sustainable amateur marine aquaria
Availability
- Dr Alexandra Grutter is:
- Available for supervision
- Media expert
Fields of research
Qualifications
- Doctor of Philosophy, James Cook University
Research interests
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Coral Reef Ecology Lab
My research interests are in coral reef ecology and marine parasitology. I also incorporate other fields in my research including evolutionary biology, molecular biology, parasitology, and animal behaviour. I use field observations to generate hypotheses which are tested using field and laboratory experiments. Currently, I have research programmes at Heron Island and Lizard Island on the Great Barrier Reef and on campus. Specific projects include: Cleaning symbiosis as a model system for developing and testing models of non-kin cooperation in multispecies mutualisms The ecological significance of cleaning behaviour in reef fishes The direct and indirect effects of cleaner fish on the coral reef community Interactions between larval coral reef fish and parasites The effects of parasites on fish physiology The taxonomy of gnathiid isopods and their identification using DNA The role of colour and pattern in communication among animals The molecular and colour pattern biogeography of cleaner fish Sustainable amateur marine aquaria
Research impacts
Expected Outcomes of latest project funded by the ARC "What happens to reefs without cleaner fish"
1.National benefits. This project is highly multidisciplinary, covering marine ecology, coral reef biology,physiology, behavioural ecology, and parasitology - all areas critical to conservation and preservation of environmental biodiversity. Our study will reveal some of the key mechanisms involved in maintaining local fish diversity. Coral reefs are an Australian icon, providing the nation with an international tourism profile that is largely dependent upon this economically and culturally valuable resource. Understanding the mechanisms responsible for this diversity is critical to maintaining it and the industries dependent upon the reefs. Social benefits include mentoring the next generation of researchers, as our research regularly attracts international researchers, early career researchers, and high-quality PhD students - all of which will be involved in this study. Indeed, the 28 postgraduate students Grutter has supervised are all employed in science-related areas.
2. National Research Priorities. By better understanding how cleaning interactions affect coral reef fish health, and the subsequent consequences to the rest of the community, this project will contribute to one of the associated Priority Goals, “Sustainable use of Australia's biodiversity”. Australia is losing species, including marine ones, at an alarming rate, and coral reefs are increasingly threatened by climate change. This research provides insight into how single key species can benefit a multitude of marine organisms, therefore improving our understanding of how these ecosystems can best be protected for future generations.
3. Research outcomes.
(a) Insight into how the behavioural interaction of fish cleaning by a relatively low number of small-sized cleaner fish has profound consequences to client individuals.
(b) Determination of the physiological pathways that cause the positive effects of cleaning interactions on client fish health, and insight into coral reef fish immunology.
(e) Information on how parasites can have such a large effect on the population and community ecology of reef-fish, and hence, ultimately on local reef communities.
(d) Potential mechanisms proposed for the above changes are effects on fish behaviour, movement, habitat choice, mortality, growth, physiology, and recruitment, but these have never been tested until now.
(e) While the scale of this study will only measure local effects, some effects may extend further. For example, the effect on fish female size, and hence the number of propagules produced (Green 2008), might increase dispersal to other areas. A larger size, for example as seen in P. moluccensis, should thus result in an increased reproductive output of individuals on reefs with cleaner fish. Many studies suggest that greater fish size and subsequent reproductive output affects fish population recruitment (Birkeland & Dayton 2005), with consequences for managing and designing marine parks and commercial fishery stocks.
(f) Many cleaner species are removed from reefs for the aquarium trade, and L. dimidiatus is one of the top ten most exported fish to the US and the EU (Wabnitz et al. 2003). Alarmingly, in Sri Lanka alone, around 20,000 have been removed per year! Given that the removal of 1-4 adult individuals per reef for 8 years had a significant effect on the growth and size of an infrequently-cleaned species, the potential ecological consequences of large-scale removals of L. dimidiatus are staggering. Reef managers will need to better understand the repercussions of their removal, including potential reduced fecundity from a reduction in fish growth, reduced client fish diversity (Bshary 2003, Grutter et al. 2003) and other potential indirect effects on the reef community due to changes in the fish assemblage.
Works
Search Professor Alexandra Grutter’s works on UQ eSpace
Featured
2011
Journal Article
Indirect effects of an ectoparasite reduce successful establishment of a damselfish at settlement
Grutter, Alexandra S., Crean, Angela J., Curtis, Lynda M., Kuris, Armand M., Warner, Robert R. and McCormick, Mark I. (2011). Indirect effects of an ectoparasite reduce successful establishment of a damselfish at settlement. Functional Ecology, 25 (3), 586-594. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2435.2010.01798.x
Featured
2010
Journal Article
Punishers benefit from third-party punishment in fish
Raihani, Nichola J., Grutter, Alexandra S. and Bshary, Redouan (2010). Punishers benefit from third-party punishment in fish. Science, 327 (5962), 171-171. doi: 10.1126/science.1183068
Featured
2009
Journal Article
Blue and yellow signal cleaning behaviour in coral reef fishes
Cheney, Karen L., Grutter, Alexandra S., Blomberg, Simon P. and Marshall, N. Justin (2009). Blue and yellow signal cleaning behaviour in coral reef fishes. Current Biology, 19 (15), 1283-1287. doi: 10.1016/j.cub.2009.06.028
Featured
2007
Book Chapter
Positive interactions in marine communications
Grutter, L. and Irving, A. D. (2007). Positive interactions in marine communications. Marine Ecology. (pp. 110-137) edited by Connell, S. D. and Gillanders, B. M.. Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press.
Featured
2006
Journal Article
Image scoring and cooperation in a cleaner fish mutualism
Bshary, Redouan and Grutter, Alexandra S. (2006). Image scoring and cooperation in a cleaner fish mutualism. Nature, 441 (7096), 975-978. doi: 10.1038/nature04755
Featured
2005
Journal Article
Cleaner shrimp use a to advertise cleaning rocking dance service to clients
Becker, Justine H. A., Curtis, Lynda M. and Grutter, Alexandra S. (2005). Cleaner shrimp use a to advertise cleaning rocking dance service to clients. Current Biology, 15 (8), 760-764. doi: 10.1016/j.cub.2005.02.067
Featured
2004
Journal Article
Cleaner fish use tactile dancing behavior as a preconflict management strategy
Grutter, A. S. (2004). Cleaner fish use tactile dancing behavior as a preconflict management strategy. Current Biology, 14 (12), 1080-1083. doi: 10.1016/j.cub.2004.05.048
Featured
2003
Journal Article
Cleaner fish drives local fish diversity on coral reefs
Grutter, A. S., Murphy, J. M. and Choat, J. H. (2003). Cleaner fish drives local fish diversity on coral reefs. Current Biology, 13 (1), 64-67. doi: 10.1016/S0960-9822(02)01393-3
Featured
2001
Journal Article
Parasite infection rather than tactile stimulation is the proximate cause of cleaning behaviour in reef fish
Grutter, A. S. (2001). Parasite infection rather than tactile stimulation is the proximate cause of cleaning behaviour in reef fish. Proceedings of The Royal Society of London Series B-biological Sciences, 268 (1474), 1361-1365. doi: 10.1098/rspb.2001.1658
Featured
1999
Journal Article
Cleaner Fish really do clean
Grutter, A. (1999). Cleaner Fish really do clean. Nature, 398 (6729), 672-673. doi: 10.1038/19443
2024
Journal Article
Parental care reduces parasite-induced mortality in a coral reef fish
Grutter, Alexandra S., Blomberg, Simone P., Duong, Berilin, Fargher, Bronwyn E., Feeney, William E., McCormick, Mark I., Nicholson, Matthew D., Sikkel, Paul C., Warner, Robert R. and Kuris, Armand M. (2024). Parental care reduces parasite-induced mortality in a coral reef fish. Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 291 (2033) 20241966. doi: 10.1098/rspb.2024.1966
2024
Book Chapter
Gnathia aureamaculosa and Gnathia marleyi
Grutter, Alexandra S., Feeney, William E., McClure, Eva C., Narvaez, Pauline, Smit, Nico J., Sun, Derek, Sikkel, Paul C. and Hutson, Kate S. (2024). Gnathia aureamaculosa and Gnathia marleyi. Fish parasites: a handbook of protocols for their isolation, culture and transmission. (pp. 375-389) edited by Ariadna Sitjà-Bobadilla, James Bron, Geert Wiegertjes and Maria Carla Piazzon. São Paulo, Brazil: CABI International. doi: 10.1079/9781800629127.0025
2024
Journal Article
Two new species and new host and distribution records of Gnathia Leach, 1814 (Crustacea, Isopoda, Gnathiidae) from Western Australia and the Great Barrier Reef, Australia
Ota, Yuzo, Erasmus, Anja, Grutter, Alexandra S. and Smit, Nico J. (2024). Two new species and new host and distribution records of Gnathia Leach, 1814 (Crustacea, Isopoda, Gnathiidae) from Western Australia and the Great Barrier Reef, Australia. ZooKeys, 1193 (1193), 125-144. doi: 10.3897/zookeys.1193.116538
2024
Journal Article
Diel fish migration facilitates functional connectivity of coral reef and seagrass habitats via transport of ectoparasites
Hendrick, G.C., Nicholson, M.D., Narvaez, P., Sun, D., Packard, A., Grutter, A.S. and Sikkel, P.C. (2024). Diel fish migration facilitates functional connectivity of coral reef and seagrass habitats via transport of ectoparasites. Marine Ecology Progress Series, 731, 249-265. doi: 10.3354/meps14339
2023
Journal Article
First report of interspecific cleaning in a Pseudochromid, the dusky dottyback (Pseudochromis fuscus)
Feeney, William E., Brooker, Rohan M., Grutter, Alexandra S. and Nicholson, Matthew D. (2023). First report of interspecific cleaning in a Pseudochromid, the dusky dottyback (Pseudochromis fuscus). Marine Biodiversity, 53 (5) 65, 1-2. doi: 10.1007/s12526-023-01370-z
2023
Journal Article
Corrigendum: Cleaner fish Labroides dimidiatus presence does not indirectly affect demersal zooplankton
Grutter, Alexandra S., Nishikawa, Natsumi, Uribe-Palomino, Julian and Richardson, Anthony J. (2023). Corrigendum: Cleaner fish Labroides dimidiatus presence does not indirectly affect demersal zooplankton. Frontiers in Marine Science, 10 1227211, 1-2. doi: 10.3389/fmars.2023.1227211
2022
Journal Article
Indirect effects of cleaner fish Labroides dimidiatus on fish grazing per reef area and benthic community structure
Grutter, A. S., Bejarano, S., Sun, D. and Mumby, P. J. (2022). Indirect effects of cleaner fish Labroides dimidiatus on fish grazing per reef area and benthic community structure. Marine Biology, 169 (10) 135. doi: 10.1007/s00227-022-04122-y
2022
Journal Article
Cleaner fish are potential super-spreaders
Narvaez, Pauline, Morais, Renato A., Vaughan, David B., Grutter, Alexandra S. and Hutson, Kate S. (2022). Cleaner fish are potential super-spreaders. Journal of Experimental Biology, 225 (15) jeb244469, 1-12. doi: 10.1242/jeb.244469
2022
Journal Article
Access to cleaning services alters fish physiology under parasite infection and ocean acidification
Paula, José Ricardo, Repolho, Tiago, Grutter, Alexandra S. and Rosa, Rui (2022). Access to cleaning services alters fish physiology under parasite infection and ocean acidification. Frontiers in Physiology, 13 859556, 1-11. doi: 10.3389/fphys.2022.859556
2022
Journal Article
Cleaner fish Labroides dimidiatus presence does not indirectly affect demersal zooplankton
Grutter, Alexandra S., Nishikawa, Natsumi, Uribe-Palomino, Julian and Richardson, Anthony J. (2022). Cleaner fish Labroides dimidiatus presence does not indirectly affect demersal zooplankton. Frontiers in Marine Science, 9 812989, 1-17. doi: 10.3389/fmars.2022.812989
Funding
Supervision
Availability
- Dr Alexandra Grutter is:
- Available for supervision
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Supervision history
Completed supervision
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2010
Doctor Philosophy
The ecology of blood parasites in coral reef fishes
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Malcolm Jones
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2008
Doctor Philosophy
The ecology of parasitic and micropredatory isopods on coral reefs
Principal Advisor
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2006
Master Philosophy
EFFECT OF THE PARASITIC ISOPOD ANILOCRA APOGONAE (CYMOTHOIDAE) ON THE GROWTH, CONDITION, REPRODUCTION AND SURVIVAL OF CARDINAL FISH (APOGONIDAE)
Principal Advisor
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2006
Doctor Philosophy
INTERACTIONS BETWEEN CLEANER SHRIMP AND THEIR CLIENT FISHES ON CORAL REEFS
Principal Advisor
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2003
Doctor Philosophy
COLOUR EVOLUTION IN DRAGONS
Principal Advisor
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2011
Doctor Philosophy
The biology and conservation of gorgonian-associated pygmy seahorses
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Ian Tibbetts
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2006
Doctor Philosophy
PATTERNS IN THE INFRACOMMUNITY AND COMPONENT COMMUNITY STRUCTURES OF PARASITES IN WRASSES (LABRIDAE): THE IMPORTANCE OF SOME BIOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF HOSTS AND PARASITES
Associate Advisor
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2005
Doctor Philosophy
ONTOGENETIC COLOUR CHANGE AND VISUAL ECOLOGY OF REEF FISH
Associate Advisor
Media
Enquiries
Contact Dr Alexandra Grutter directly for media enquiries about:
- Cleaner fish biology
- Fish - effect of parasites on behaviour
- Fish behaviour
- Fish biology
- Marine parasite ecology
- Parasites - effects on fish behaviour
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