
Consumers (Putative)
Consumers are organisms that are incapable of producing their own food and have to derive nutrients from other organic matters.
The following is a list of representative species from each group of consumer that can be found in Hong Kong.
Meiofauna
Meiofauna is a collection of small benthic invertebrates (between 63 and 500 microns in size) that live in marine sediment.
Nematodes (slender worms) and copepods (small crustaceans) are two main groups of meiofauna that are found in our samples.

An assortment of meiofauna with detritus particles
Photo taken under a stereomicroscope
by Michael Ma
Macrofauna
Macrofauna are organisms larger than 500 microns. They can be classified into the following groups:
Deposit Feeders
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Boleophthalmus pectinirostris
Photo taken at Mai Po
by Joe Lee
Classification: fish
Common name: great blue-spotted mudskipper
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Macrophthalmus tomentosus
Photo taken at Mai Po
by Zhaoliang Chen
Classification: crab
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Metaplax longipes
Photo taken at Ting Kok
by Michael Ma
Classification: crab
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Tubuca arcuata
Photo taken at Mai Po
by Joe Lee
Classification: crab
Common name: bowed fiddler crab
Leaf-Eaters
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Parasesarma affine
Photo taken at Shui Hau
by Joe Lee
Classification: crab
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Parasesarma ungulatum
Photo taken at Lai Chi Wo
by Joe Lee
Classification: crab
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Parasesarma bidens
Photo taken at Mai Po
by Zhaoliang Chen
Classification: crab
Grazers

Littoraria ardouiniana
Photo taken at the West coast of Guangdong province, China
by Joe Lee
Classification: gastropod
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Neripteron violaceum
Photo taken at Mai Po
by Yan Ping Loo
Classification: gastropod
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Onchidium hongkongensis
Photo taken at Mai Po
by Michael Ma
Classification: gastropod
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Cerithidea moerchii
Photo taken at Lai Chi Wo
by Joe Lee
Classification: gastropod

Monodonta labio
Photo taken at Ting Kok
by Michael Ma
Classification: gastropod
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Ellobium chinensis
Photo taken at Mai Po
by Yan Ping Loo
Classification: gastropod
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Planiliza subviridis
From Shui Hau
Classification: fish
Common name: greenback mullet
Filter Feeders
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Anomalodiscus squamosa
Photo taken at Ting Kok
by Michael Ma
Classification: bivalves
Common name: false cockle
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Geloina erosa
Photo taken at Shui Hau
by Joe Lee
Classification: bivalves
Common name: mangrove clam
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Marcia hiantina
Photo taken at Ting Kok
by Michael Ma
Classification: bivalves
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Saccostrea cucullata
Photo taken at Ting Kok
by Michael Ma
Classification: bivalves
Common name: hooded oyster, Natal rock oyster
Predators
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Periophthalmus modestus
Photo taken at Mai Po
by Joe Lee
Classification: fish
Common name: shuttles hoppfish, shuttles mudskipper
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Tachypleus tridentatus
Photo taken at Shui Hau
by Joe Lee
Classification: horseshoe crab
Common name: Chinese horseshoe crab, Japanese horseshoe crab, tri-spine horseshoe crab
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Terapon jarbua
From Shui Hau
Classification: fish
Common name: crescent perch, crescent grunter
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Metopograpsus frontalis
Photo taken at Ting Kok
by Michael Ma
Classification: crab
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Thalamita crenata
Photo taken at Ting Kok
by Michael Ma
Classification: crab
Common name: mangrove swimming crab
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Laomedia astacina
Photo taken at Ting Kok
by Michael Ma
Classification: shrimp
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Panaeus merguiensis
From Mai Po
Classification: shrimp
Common name: banana shrimp
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Palaemon carinicauda
From Mai Po
Classification: shrimp
Common name: ridgetail white prawn
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Platalea minor
Photo taken at Mai Po
by Joe Lee
Classification: bird
Common name: black-faced spoonbill
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Ardea cinerea
Photo taken by Joe Lee
Classification: bird
Common name: grey heron
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Tringa ochropus
Photo taken at Mai Po
by Joe Lee
Classification: bird
Common name: green sandpiper
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Recurvirostra avosetta
Photo taken at Mai Po
by Joe Lee
Classification: bird
Common name: pied avocet
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Chroicocephalus ridibundus
Photo taken at Mai Po
by Joe Lee
Classification: bird
Common name: black-headed gull
Decomposers
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Auricularia fuscosuccinea
Photo taken at Mai Po
by Yan Ping Loo
Classification: fungus
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Inocybe spp.
Photo taken at Mai Po
by Joe Lee
Classification: fungus
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Polyporales (order name)
Photo taken at Mai Po
by Zhaoliang Chen
Classification: fungus
Omnivores / Scavengers
Omnivores are organisms that have a mixed diet of both plant and animal origins, and are able to survive on either one of them. The following organisms are also opportunistic scavengers.
Scylla paramamosain
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Photo taken at Mai Po
by Yan Ping Loo
Classification: crab
Common name: mud crab
Oreochromis aureus
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Photo taken at Mai Po
by Joe Lee
Classification: fish
Common name: tilapia
**Invasive species
Tilapias were first introduced into Hong Kong for aquaculture. However, those individuals that escape from fish farms become an invasive species and pose a threat to the surrounding habitat, due to their high growth rate, omnivorous diet, and lack of natural predators.