Skip to main content
Log in

Mating system of the freckled hawkfish, Paracirrhites forsteri (Cirrhitidae) on Kuchierabu-jima Island reefs, southern Japan

  • Published:
Environmental Biology of Fishes Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The mating system of cirrhitids is generally classified as harem polygyny. However, detailed information on the spatial distribution patterns and mating relationships is lacking in large hawkfish species. We investigated the spatial distribution patterns and mating relationships among individuals of the large hawkfish, Paracirrhites forsteri, on a Kuchierabu-jima Island reef in southern Japan. Large males maintained territories and attacked other large males near the boundaries of their territories. Females usually stayed outside of male territories during the day and moved to prominent coral heads within male territories during the late afternoon for mating. Large males spawned with several females around sunset, and females seldom changed their mating partners. In addition, we confirmed the occurrence of small males with a body size similar to that of females. These small males placed their territories against other small males within/around the territories of large males and pair-spawned with small females. The female distribution pattern and occurrence of small males have never been reported in haremic hawkfish, but their stable mating partnership is very similar to that of haremic hawkfish. Our results reveal considerable variation in mating systems within Cirrhitidae.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • DeMartini EE (1996) Sheltering and foraging substrate uses of the arc-eye hawkfish Paracirrhites arcatus (Pisces: Cirrhitidae). Bull Mar Sci 58:826–837

    Google Scholar 

  • Development Core Team R (2014) R: a language and environment for statistical computing. R Foundation for Statistical Computing, Vienna

    Google Scholar 

  • Donaldson TJ (1986) Courtship and spawning of the hawkfish Cirrhitichthys falco at Miyake-jima, Japan. Jpn J Ichthyol 33:329–333

    Google Scholar 

  • Donaldson TJ (1987) Social organization and reproductive behavior of the hawkfish Cirrhitichthys falco (Cirrhitidae). Bull Mar Sci 41:531–540

    Google Scholar 

  • Donaldson TJ (1989) Facultative monogamy in obligate coral-dwelling hawkfishes (Cirrhitidae). Environ Biol Fish 26:295–302

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Donaldson TJ (1990) Reproductive behavior and social organization of some Pacific hawkfishes (Cirrhitidae). Jpn J Ichthyol 36:439–458

    Google Scholar 

  • Fricke HW (1980) Control of different mating systems in a coral reef fish by one environmental factor. Anim Behav 28:561–569

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gross MR (1996) Alternative reproductive strategies and tactics: diversity within sexes. Trends Ecol Evol 11:92–98

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Gushima K, Murakami Y (1976) The reef fish fauna of Kuchierabu, offshore Island of southern Japan. J Fac Anim Husb, Hiroshima Univ 15:47–56

  • Hiatt RW, Strasburg DW (1960) Ecological relationships of the fish fauna on coral reefs of the Marshall Islands. Ecol Monogr 30:65–127

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hobson ES (1974) Feeding relationships of teleostean fishes on coral reefs in Kona, Hawaii. Fish Bull 72:915–1031

    Google Scholar 

  • Kadota T, Sakai Y, Hashimoto H, Gushima K (2010) Diel and lunar spawning periodicity of the hawkfish Paracirrhites forsteri (Cirrhitidae) on the reefs of Kuchierabu-jima Island, southern Japan. Ichthyol Res 57:102–106

  • Kadota T, Osato J, Hashimoto H, Sakai Y (2011) Harem structure and female territoriality in the dwarf hawkfish Cirrhitichthys falco (Cirrhitidae). Environ Biol Fish 92:79–88

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kadota T, Osato J, Nagata K, Sakai Y (2012) Reversed sex change in the haremic protogynous hawkfish Cirrhitichthys falco in natural conditions. Ethology 118:226–234

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kane CN, Brooks AJ, Holbrook SJ, Schmitt RJ (2009) The role of microhabitat preference and social organization in determining the spatial distribution of a coral reef fish. Environ Biol Fish 84:1–10

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Karino K, Kuwamura T, Nakashima Y, Sakai Y (2000) Predation risk and the opportunity for female mate choice in a coral reef fish. J Ethol 18:109–114

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kuwamura T (1984) Social structure of the protogynous fish Labroides dimidiatus. Publ Seto Mar Biol Lab 29:117–177

    Google Scholar 

  • Kuwamura T (1996) An introduction to reproductive strategies of fishes. In: Kuwamura T, Nakashima Y (eds) Reproductive strategies in fishes, vol 1. Kaiyusha, Tokyo, pp. 1–41

    Google Scholar 

  • Kuwamura T (1997) The evolution of parental care and mating systems among Tanganyikan cichlids. In: Kawanabe H, Hori M, Nagoshi M (eds) Fish communities in lake Tanganyika. Kyoto University press, Kyoto, pp. 57–86

  • Kuwamura T, Sagawa T, Suzuki S (2009) Interspecific variation in spawning time and male mating tactics of the parrotfishes on a fringing coral reef at Iriomote Island, Okinawa. Icthyol Res 56:354–362

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Manabe H, Ide M, Shinomiya A (2000) Mating system of the lefteye flounder, Engyprosopon grandisquama. Icthyol Res 47:69–74

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Moyer JT (1991) Comparative mating strategies of labrid fishes. Watanabe Ichthyol Inst Monogr 1:1–90

    Google Scholar 

  • Moyer JT, Nakazono A (1978) Population structure, reproductive behavior and protogynous hermaphroditism in the angelfish Centropyge interruptus at Miyake-jima, Japan. Jpn J Ichthyol 25:25–39

    Google Scholar 

  • Moyer JT, Zaiser MJ (1981) Social organization and spawning behavior of the pteroine fish Dendrochirus zebra at Miyake-jima, Japan. Jpn J Ichthyol 28:52–69

    Google Scholar 

  • Nakabo T (2002) Fishes of Japan with pictorial keys to the species, English edn. Tokai University Press, Tokyo

    Google Scholar 

  • Nakazono A, Nakatani H, Tsukahara H (1985) Reproductive ecology of the Japanese reef fish, Parapercis snyderi. Proc 5th Int Coral Reef Congr 5:355–360

    Google Scholar 

  • Nelson JS (2006) Fishes of the world, 4th edn. Wiley, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Randall JE (1963) Review of the hawkfishes (family Cirrhitidae). Proc US Natn Mus 114:389–451

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sadovy Y, Donaldson TJ (1995) Sexual pattern of Neocirrhites armatus (Cirrhitidae) with notes on other hawkfish species. Environ Biol Fish 42:143–150

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sadovy de Mitcheson Y, Liu M (2008) Functional hermaphroditism in teleosts. Fish Fish 9:1–43

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sakai Y, Kohda M (1997) Harem structure of the protogynous angelfish, Centropyge ferrugatus (Pomacanthidae). Environ Biol Fish 49:333–339

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shapiro DY (1991) Intraspecific variability in social systems of coral reef fishes. In: Sale PF (ed) The ecology of fishes on coral reefs. Academic Press, San Diego, pp. 331–355

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Suzuki S, Toguchi K, Makino Y, Kuwamura T, Nakashima Y, Karino K (2008) Group spawning results from the streaking of small males into a sneaking pair: male alternative reproductive tactics in the threespot wrasse Halichoeres trimaculatus. J Ethol 26:397–404

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Taborsky M (2001) The evolution of bourgeois, parasitic, and cooperative reproductive behaviors in fishes. J Hered 92:100–110

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Thresher RE (1982) Courtship and spawning in the emperor angelfish Pomacanthus imperator, with comments on reproduction by other pomachanthid fishes. Mar Biol 70:149–156

  • Thresher RE (1984) Reproduction in reef fishes. T.F.H. Publications, Neptune City

    Google Scholar 

  • Turner GF (1993) Teleost mating behaviour. In: Picher TJ (ed) Behaviour of teleost fishes, 2nd edn. Chapman and Hall, London, pp. 307–331

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Wong MYL, Buston PM (2013) Social systems in habitat-specialist reef fishes: key concepts in evolutionary ecology. Bioscience 63:453–463

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

We are grateful to the people of Kuchierabu-jima Island for allowing us to conduct the field work. We also thank N. Shimizu, O. Fujita, S. Takayanagi, and K. Tsukamura for their support during the fieldwork and H. Hashimoto, the late Y. Yogo, Y. Masui, Y. Yamane, and colleagues at the Laboratory of the Biology of Aquatic Resources, Hiroshima University, for their advice. Thanks are also due to G. Suzuki for providing advice on identifying the corals. Finally, we thank T. Kuwamura for comments on an earlier draft of the manuscript. This work was partially supported by JSPS KAKENHI Grant Number 15 K07222 and Inamori Grants to Y. Sakai. This study complies with the current laws of Japan and the guidelines of the Japan Ethological Society. We dedicate this study to the memory of the late K. Gushima, who provided considerable support.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Tatsuru Kadota.

Electronic supplementary material

ESM 1

(PDF 613 kb)

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Kadota, T., Sakai, Y. Mating system of the freckled hawkfish, Paracirrhites forsteri (Cirrhitidae) on Kuchierabu-jima Island reefs, southern Japan. Environ Biol Fish 99, 761–769 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10641-016-0520-y

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10641-016-0520-y

Keywords

Navigation