Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Diurnal periodicity of spawning activity of permanently territorial damselfishes (Teleostei: Pomacentridae)

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

Synopsis

Like other congeneric damselfishes, the herbivorous Stegastes altus defends individual feeding territories from heterospecific food competitors, regardless of sex. Females spawned demersal eggs for 31.4 min (n = 25) at the nest in territories of males 0–75 m away from theirs. Throughout the spawning season (June to September), spawning occurred only at dawn, mainly just after sunrise. Daily activity of the fish community showed that potential diurnal food competitors were few or inactive only at dawn and dusk. The frequency of intrusions into the female's territory by heterospecific competitors were as low when she left her territory to spawn at dawn, as they were in the daytime when she defended it. Removal of the female in the daytime resulted in a significant increase in intrusion frequency. An ‘anti-competitor hypothesis’, whereby dawn spawning ensures the food resource in the female's territory seems to explain not only the spawning periodicity in S. altus but also the timing of spawning of other permanently territorial damselfishes.

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

Access this article

Log in via an institution

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

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References cited

  • Abel, E.F. 1961. Freiwasserstudien über das Fortpflanzungsverhalten des Mönchfisches Chromis chromis Linne, einem Vertreter der Pomacentriden im Mittelmeer. Z. Tierpsychol. 18: 441–449.

    Google Scholar 

  • Allee, W.C., A.E. Emerson, O. Park, T. Park & K.P. Schmidt. 1949. Principles of animal ecology. Saunders, Philadelphia. 837 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Allen, G.R. 1975. Damselfishes of the south seas. T.F.H. Publications, Neptune City. 240 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brawley, S.H. & W.H. Adey. 1977. Territorial behavior of threespot damselfish (Eupomacentrus planifrons) increase reef algal biomass and productivity. Env. Biol. Fish. 2: 45–51.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fishelson, L. 1970. Behaviour and ecology of a population of Abudefduf saxatilis (Pomacentridae, Teleostei) at Eilat (Red Sea). Anim. Behav. 18: 225–237.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fricke, H.W. 1974. Öko-ethologie des monogamen Anemonenfisches Amphiprion bicinctus (Freiwasseruntersuchung aus dem Roten Meer). Z. Tierpsychol. 36: 429–513.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hashimoto, J. 1975. A study of food habits of the reef fishes in the Nansei Islands. M. Fishery Thesis, Kagoshima University. 253 pp. (in Japanese).

  • Hinde, R.A. 1956. The biological significance of the territories of birds. Ibis 98: 340–369.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hobson, E.S. 1972. Activity of Hawaiian reef fishes during the evening and morning transitions between daylight and darkness. U.S. Fish. Bull. 70: 715–740.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hobson, E.S. 1974. Feeding relationship of teleostean fishes on coral reefs in Kona, Hawaii. U.S. Fish. Bull. 72: 915–1031.

    Google Scholar 

  • Honda, S. & S. Imai. 1973. Breeding and early development of a pomacentrid, Pomacentrus nagasakiensis Tanaka in the aquarium. Mem. Fac. Fish., Kagoshima Univ. 20: 95–106.

    Google Scholar 

  • Johannes, R.E. 1978. Reproductive strategies of coastal marine fishes in the tropics. Env. Biol. Fish. 3: 65–84.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Keenleyside, M.H. 1979. Diversity and adaptation in fish behaviour. Springer-Verlag. Berlin. 208 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kohda, M. 1981. Interspecific territoriality and agonistic behavior of a temperate pomacentrid fish, Eupomacentrus altus(Pisces; Pomacentridae). Z. Tierpsychol. 56: 205–216.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kohda, M. 1984. Intra- and interspecific territoriality of a temperate damselfish, Eupomacentrus altus. Physiol. Ecol. Japan 21: 35–52.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kuwamura, T. 1981. Diurnal periodicity of spawning activity in free-spawning labrid fishes. Jap. J. Ichthyol. 28: 343–349.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lobel, P.S. 1978. Diel, lunar, and seasonal periodicity in the reproductive behavior of the pomacanthid fish, Centropyge potteri, and some other reef fishes in Hawaii. Pac. Sci. 32: 193–207.

    Google Scholar 

  • Misaki, H. 1975. On the damselfish, Stegastes altus. Mar. Pavilion 4: 3–4 (in Japanese).

    Google Scholar 

  • Moyer, J.T. 1975. Reproductive behavior of the damselfish Pomacentrus nagasakiensis at Miyake-jima, Japan, Jap. J. Ichthyol. 22: 151–163.

    Google Scholar 

  • Moyer, J.T. & L.J. Bell. 1976. Reproductive behavior of the anemonefish, Amphiprion clarkii at Miyake-jima, Japan. Jap. J. Ichthyol. 23: 23–32.

    Google Scholar 

  • Munz, F. W. & W.N. McFarland. 1973. The significance of spectral position in the rhodopsins of tropical marine fishes. Vision Res. 13: 1829–1874.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Myrberg, A.A., B.D. Brahy & A.R. Emery. 1967. Field observations on reproduction of the damselfish, Chromis multilineata (Pomacentridae), with additional notes on general behavior Copeia 1967: 819–827.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Okamoto, K. 1973. On the reproductive behaviour of the damselfish, Abudefduf zonatus. Mar. Pavilion 2: 36–37 (in Japanese).

    Google Scholar 

  • Pressley, P.H. 1980. Lunar periodicity in the spawning of yellowtail damselfish, Microspathodon chrysurus. Env. Biol. Fish. 5: 153–159.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Robertson, D.R. 1973. Field observations on the reproductive behaviour of a pomacentrid fish Acanthochromis polyacanthus. Z. Tierpsychol. 32: 319–324.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ross, P.M. 1978. Reproductive behavior of the anemonefish, Amphiprion melanopus on Guam. Copeia 1978: 103–107.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Russell, B.C. 1971. Underwater observations on the reproductive activity of the demoiselle Chromis dispilus (Pisces; Pomacentridae). Mar. Biol. 10: 22–29.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sale, P.F. 1971. The reproductive behaviour of the pomacentrid fish, Chromis caeruleus. Z. Tierpsychol. 29: 156–164.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Schmale, M. 1981. Sexual selection and reproductive success in males of the bicolor damselfish, Eupomacentrus partilus (Pisces; Pomacentridae). Anim. Behav. 29: 1172–1184.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Swerdloff, S.N. 1970. Behavioral observations on Eniwetok damselfishes (Pomacentridae: Chromis) with special reference to the spawning of Chromis caeruleus. Copeia 1970: 371–374.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Thresher, R.E. 1984. Reproduction in reef fishes. T.F.H. Publications, Neptune City. 399 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Thresher, R.E. & J.T. Moyer. 1983. Male success, courtship complexity and patterns of sexual selection in three congeneric species of sexually monochromatic and dichromatic damselfishes (Pisces; Pomacentridae). Anim. Behav. 31: 113–127.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Vine, P.J. 1974. Effects of algal grazing and aggressive behaviour of the fishes Pomacentrus lividus and Acanthurus sohal on coral-reef ecology. Mar. Biol. 24: 131–136.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Author notes

  1. Masanori Kohda

    Present address: Laboratory of Animal Sociology, Faculty of Science, Osaka City University, Sugimoto, Sumiyoshi-ku, Osaka, 558, Japan

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Kyoto University, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, 606, Japan

    Masanori Kohda

Authors
  1. Masanori Kohda
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Additional information

Contribution from the Laboratory of Animal Ecology, Kyoto University, No. 492.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Kohda, M. Diurnal periodicity of spawning activity of permanently territorial damselfishes (Teleostei: Pomacentridae). Environ Biol Fish 21, 91–100 (1988). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00004845

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00004845

Key words

Search

Navigation