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Patterns of Movement in Intertidal Fishes

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Behavioral Adaptation to Intertidal Life

Part of the book series: NATO ASI Series ((NSSA,volume 151))

Abstract

The intertidal zone frequently represents a rich source of food and shelter and as such is inhabited by a wide variety of animals. Many of them are able to withstand the changing environmental conditions and live there continuously. Others, lacking this ability, avoid the zone at low tide and occupy the area only when it is immersed. This basic difference allows intertidal animals to be broadly categorized as either residents or visitors. The greater motility of fishes compared with most other intertidal animals enables them to employ a wide range of behaviour patterns for exploiting the intertidal zone, although the majority tend to be visitors. There are, however, large numbers of fishes whose movements are more limited in extent and which can be regarded as resident intertidal animals for most of their lives. This paper briefly reviews the activity patterns of both categories of fishes in relation to their function and discusses whether such patterns can be regarded as special adaptations to intertidal life. The examples used to illustrate particular behaviour patterns are not exhaustive because full reviews of the biology and behaviour of intertidal fishes are given elsewhere (Gibson, 1982a, 1986a).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Dunstaffnage Marine, Research Laboratory, Argyll, Scotland, UK

    Robin N. Gibson

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  1. Robin N. Gibson
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. University of Florence, Florence, Italy

    Guido Chelazzi  & Marco Vannini  & 

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Gibson, R.N. (1988). Patterns of Movement in Intertidal Fishes. In: Chelazzi, G., Vannini, M. (eds) Behavioral Adaptation to Intertidal Life. NATO ASI Series, vol 151. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4899-3737-7_5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4899-3737-7_5

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4899-3739-1

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