WHAT THE EVIDENCE SAYS
Sampling 98 surgeonfish from 15 species, researchers found sediment intake rose with body size. Brushers and sediment-suckers ingested the most relative to body mass, and larger sediment-suckers led overall intake. Stomach-to-intestine comparisons showed no substantial grain-size modification.
WHY IT MATTERS / OUR READ
A reef fish's ecological role may depend on sediment handling rather than just presence. Distinguish the mass ingested from the physical transformations or transport demonstrated by measurements.
CAVEATS / UNCERTAINTY
Fish collection and comparisons were limited to sampled species, sites and times; longer evolutionary reconstructions rely on comparative models.
SOURCE
Ng et al. · Reviews in Fish Biology and Fisheries · surgeonfish function study
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