Tiny reef fish thrived near seabird islands; where rats wiped birds out, marine food chains changed

Invasive rats on tropical islands have decimated seabird populations by eating eggs, chicks, and adult birds.

Reefs near rat-free islands are dominated by cryptobenthic fish like gobies and triplefins, with biomass over five times that of small invertebrates.

Around rat-infested islands, populations of coral crabs, porcelain crabs, and snapping shrimps are higher, and fish and invertebrate biomass are nearly equal.

The study, led by Lancaster University and the University of Texas, examined reefs around remote islands in the Indian Ocean.

Changes in cryptofauna populations can rewire coral reef food chains.