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Ecology and behavior of Anthias squamipinnis (peters, 1855) (Anthiidae, Teleostei) in the coral habitat of eilat (Red Sea)

1973; Wiley; Volume: 184; Issue: 3 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1002/jez.1401840314

1097-010X

Dan Popper, Lev Fishelson,

Fish Biology and Ecology Studies

Abstract Anthias squamipinnis (Anthiidae, Teleostei), a sexually dimorphic coral fish, is found in large swarms along the western coast of the Gulf of Aqaba. Each swarm is permanently bound to a particular rock or coral head. During daytime, the fish stay close to their coral head and spend the night in holes and crevices in the rock. Some of the males are territorial, defending water spaces near the rock, performing special displays and chasing away male intruders. The nonterritorial males swim in separate swarms closer to the bottom. A third part of the population consists of females and young that swim above the swarm of nonterritorial males. These last two groups form the main mass of the population and are spread out rheotactically in front of the rock, feeding on the plankton carried by the current. Spawning is carried out in the evening from November to June. It is preceded by a precopulatory “dance” initiated by the territorial males and joined by the females and nonterritorial males. The eggs are planktonic. Sexual inversion was observed in many specimens in nature and in captivity. After a period of about one year, functional females gradually change coloration and switch into functional males. They may join either the swarm of nonterritorial males or the group of territorial males.