Damselfish

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Cocoa damselfish (Stegastes xanthurus) Caribbean Cocoa damselfish.jpg
Cocoa damselfish ( Stegastes xanthurus )

Damselfish are those within the subfamilies Abudefdufinae, Chrominae, Lepidozyginae, Pomacentrinae, and Stegastinae within the family Pomacentridae. [1] [2] Most species within this group are relatively small, with the largest species being about 30cm (12 in) in length. [3] Most damselfish species exist only in marine environments, but a few inhabit brackish or fresh water. [3] These fish are found globally in tropical, subtropical, and temperate waters. [4]

Contents

Neon damselfish from East Timor Neon damselfish.jpg
Neon damselfish from East Timor

Habitat

Many species live in tropical rocky or coral reefs, and many of those are kept as marine aquarium pets. Their diets include small crustaceans, plankton, and algae. However, a few live in fresh and brackish waters, such as the freshwater damselfish, or in warm subtropical climates, such as the large orange Garibaldi, which inhabits the coast of southern California and the Pacific Mexican coast.

Foraging

Canary damsel Abudefduf luridus.jpg
Canary damsel

The domino damselfish D. albisella spends the majority (greater than 85%) of its daytime hours foraging. Larger individuals typically forage higher in a water column than do smaller ones. Damselfish of all sizes feed primarily on caridea and copepods. Males have relatively smaller stomach sizes during spawning season compared to females due to the allocation of resources for courtship and the guarding of nests. When current speeds are low, the damselfish forages higher in a water column where the flux of plankton is greater and they have a larger food source. As current speeds increase, it forages closer to the bottom of the column. Feeding rates tend to be higher when currents are faster. Smaller fishes forage closer to their substrates than do larger ones, possibly in response to predation pressures. [5]

Territoriality

There are many examples of resource partitioning and habitat selection that are driven by aggressive and territorial behaviors in this group. For example, the threespot damselfish S. planifrons is very defensive of its territory and is a classic example of extreme territoriality within the group. [6] One species, the dusky damselfish S. adustus spends the majority of its life within its territory. [7]

Domestication of mysid shrimps

Longfin damselfish ( Stegastes diencaeus ) around Carrie Bow Cay, Belize (16°48.15′N, 88°04.95′W), have been shown to actively protect planktonic mysids (Mysidium integrum) in their reef farms. The mysids fertilize the algae grown in the reef farms with their excretes which in turn helps the damselfish who feed on algae to be healthier. [8] In the reef farms that house mysids, damselfish aggressively defends the farm area against other fish that would prey on the mysids, significantly more so than they do when their farms do not house mysid shrimps. These damselfish would eat similar small invertebrates. Despite that, they are docile towards mysid shrimp. In the area, mysid shrimps are not found in swarms except in the farms maintained by damselfish. All these observations point to a pet-like relationship between the mysid shrimps and longfin damselfish in the area, with damselfish being the domesticator and mysids being the domesticate.

Courtship

In the species S. partitus , females do not choose to mate with males based on size. Even though large male size can be advantageous in defending nests and eggs against conspecifics among many animals, nest intrusions are not observed in this damselfish species. Females also do not choose their mates based upon the brood sizes of the males. In spite of the increased male parental care, brood size does not affect egg survival, as eggs are typically taken during the night when the males are not defending their nests. Rather, female choice of mates is dependent on male courtship rate. Males signal their parental quality by the vigor of their courtship displays, and females mate preferentially with vigorously courting males. [9] [10]

Male damselfish perform a courtship behavior called the signal jump, in which they rise in a water column and then rapidly swim back downward. The signal jump involves large amounts of rapid swimming, and females choose mates based on the vigor with which males do so. Females determine the male courtship rates using sounds that are produced during signal jumps. As the male damselfish swims down the water column, it creates a pulsed sound. Male courtship varies in the number and rates of those pulses. [11]

In the beaugregory damselfish S. leucostictus males spend more time courting females that are larger in size. Female size is significantly correlated with ovary weight, and males intensify their courtship rituals for the more fecund females. Research has shown that males that mate with larger females do indeed receive and hatch greater numbers of eggs. [12]

Mating

Male bicolor damselfish, E. partitus , exhibit polygamy, often courting multiple females simultaneously. Among this species, evolutionary selection favors those males that begin mating as soon as possible during spawning seasons even if the most favorable egg clutches are spawned at later times. Females often choose which males to mate with depending on the males’ territory quality. Shelter sites are essential for the bicolor damselfish in avoiding predation, and females may evaluate the suitability of these sites at a male territory before depositing their eggs. [13]

Effect of distance on spawning

In the species S. nigricans , females usually mate with a single male each morning during spawning seasons. At dawn, they visit males’ territories to spawn. The distance to the territory of a mate influences the number of visits that a female engages in with a male. At short distances, females make many repeated visits. At longer ones, they may spawn their entire clutch in one visit. This plasticity in mating behavior can be attributed to two factors: (1) intrusions by other fish to feed in the females’ territories while they are away, which could make the females return frequently to their habitats in order to defend their resources, and (2) predatory attacks on the females, which increase in frequency as the distances that the females travel become longer. Intrusion by other fish into a female’s territory can diminish the habitat of its food and render it unstable. Thus, a spawning female should return to its home as often as possible. However, a greater number of spawning visits increases the chance of being attacked, especially when mating with males that are far away. To minimize overall costs, females change their number of spawning visits depending on male territory distance. [14]

Filial cannibalism

The male cortez damselfish, S. rectifraenum , is known to engage in filial cannibalism. Studies have shown it typically consumes over twenty-five percent of its clutches. The males generally consume clutches that are smaller than average in size, as well as those that are still in the early stages of development. Female cortez damselfish tend to deposit their eggs with males who are already caring for early-stage eggs, rather than males with late-stage eggs. This preference is seen particularly in females that deposit smaller-sized clutches, which are more vulnerable to being consumed. For the males, filial cannibalism is an adaptive response to clutches that do not provide enough benefits to warrant the costs of parental care. [15]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pomacentridae</span> Family of ray-finned fishes

Pomacentridae is a family of ray-finned fish, comprising the damselfishes and clownfishes. This family were formerly placed in the order Perciformes but are now regarded as being incertae sedis in the subseries Ovalentaria in the clade Percomorpha. They are primarily marine, while a few species inhabit freshwater and brackish environments. They are noted for their hardy constitutions and territoriality. Many are brightly colored, so they are popular in aquaria.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gobiidae</span> Family of fishes

Gobiidae or gobies is a family of bony fish in the order Gobiiformes, one of the largest fish families comprising more than 2,000 species in more than 200 genera. Most of gobiid fish are relatively small, typically less than 10 cm (3.9 in) in length, and the family includes some of the smallest vertebrates in the world, such as Trimmatom nanus and Pandaka pygmaea, Trimmatom nanus are under 1 cm long when fully grown, then Pandaka pygmaea standard length are 9 mm (0.35 in), maximum known standard length are 11 mm (0.43 in). Some large gobies can reach over 30 cm (0.98 ft) in length, but that is exceptional. Generally, they are benthic or bottom-dwellers. Although few are important as food fish for humans, they are of great significance as prey species for other commercially important fish such as cod, haddock, sea bass and flatfish. Several gobiids are also of interest as aquarium fish, such as the dartfish of the genus Ptereleotris. Phylogenetic relationships of gobiids have been studied using molecular data.

<i>Stegastes</i> Genus of fishes

Stegastes, commonly known as Gregories, is a genus of ray-finned fish in the family Pomacentridae. Members of this genus are marine coastal fishes except for S. otophorus, which also occurs in brackish water. These fish are known by the names of damselfish, gregory and major. They are small tropical fish associated with coral and rocky reefs in the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific Oceans. They are sometimes found in the aquarium trade where they are an easy-to-keep fish, but they do not mix well with other fish of their own or other species because of their territorial habits and aggressiveness.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bicolor angelfish</span> Species of fish

The bicolor angelfish is a marine species of fish, easily recognizable by its yellow tail, yellow front half of their body, and blue rear with blue patterns above and around the eye. Other names of this angelfish include: Pacific rock beauty, oriole angelfish, oriole dwarf angel, blue and gold angel, and two-colored angel. The life expectancy of this fish in the wild varies greatly, depending on location, and ranges between 5 and 13 years. These fish tend to grow to a maximum of 6 inches in length. The larval stages lasts approximately 32 days.

<i>Stegastes nigricans</i> Species of fish

Stegastes nigricans, the dusky farmerfish, is a species of damselfish found around coral reefs at a depth of one to 12 meters, in tropical climates between 30°S and 30°N. They are known for farming monocultures of algae such as cyanophores and rhodophytes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scissortail sergeant</span> Species of fish

The scissortail sergeant or striptailed damselfish is a large damselfish. It earns its name from the black-striped tail and sides, which are reminiscent of the insignia of a military Sergeant, being similar to those of the sergeant major damselfish. It grows to a length of about 16 centimetres (6.3 in).

<i>Amphiprion akallopisos</i> Species of fish

The nosestripe clownfish or nosestripe anemonefish, skunk clownfish, Amphiprion akallopisos, is an anemonefish that lives in association with sea anemones. A. akallopisos is found in the Indian Ocean. It resides in shallow inshore reefs as deep as 15 m with a moderate to strong current. The skunk clownfish can also be kept in captivity by aquarists.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Leopard coral grouper</span> Species of fish

The leopard coral grouper, also known as the common coral trout, leopard coral trout, blue-dotted coral grouper or spotted coral grouper, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a grouper from the subfamily Epinephelinae which is part of the family Serranidae, which also includes the anthias and sea basses. It is found in the Western Pacific Ocean.

<i>Dascyllus albisella</i> Species of fish

Dascyllus albisella commonly known as the Hawaiian dascyllus, Hawaiian domino, Domino damselfish, or white-spotted damsel is a marine fish found in the Eastern Central Pacific.

<i>Chromis chromis</i> Species of fish

Chromis chromis, the damselfish or Mediterranean chromis, is a small species of ray-finned fish of the family Pomacentridae from the Eastern Atlantic and Mediterranean.

<i>Microspathodon chrysurus</i> Species of fish

The yellowtail damselfish is a species of damselfish native to tropical areas such as the Caribbean coast of Panama. Damselfish are abundant in coral reef environments. The International Union for Conservation of Nature lists this fish as being of “least concern”. The species is exploited on a minor scale, for fisheries and the aquarium trade. It may be threatened by the invasive lionfish.

<i>Stegastes planifrons</i> Species of fish

Stegastes planifrons is a damselfish from the Western Atlantic. It occasionally makes its way into the aquarium trade.

<i>Dascyllus flavicaudus</i> Species of fish

Dascyllus flavicaudus, common name yellowtail dascyllus, is a Damselfish belonging to the family Pomacentridae.

<i>Stegastes leucostictus</i> Species of fish

Stegastes leucostictus is a species of damselfish found near the sea bed in shallow waters on the western fringes of the Atlantic Ocean. It is commonly known as the beau gregory or beaugregory.

<i>Stegastes fuscus</i> Species of fish

Stegastes fuscus, the dusky damselfish, is a species of bony fish in the family Pomacentridae found near the seabed in shallow waters on the western fringes of the Atlantic Ocean.

<i>Stegastes partitus</i> Species of fish

Stegastes partitus or the bicolor damselfish is a species of bony fish in the family Pomacentridae found near the sea bed on shallow rocky and coral reefs in the Caribbean Sea, the Gulf of Mexico and off the coasts of Florida.

<i>Emydocephalus annulatus</i> Species of snake

Emydocephalus annulatus, commonly known as the turtleheaded sea snake or egg-eating sea snake, is a species of sea snake that can be found in waters of Oceania near Australia and some Pacific Islands such as the Philippines and the Loyalty Islands of New Caledonia. The geographic range is sporadic, for example, with populations distributed near the eastern and western coasts of Australia in the Great Barrier Reef and the Timor Sea reefs, respectively. They do not, however, occur in the Gulf of Carpentaria along the north coast.

<i>Abudefduf troschelii</i> Species of fish

Abudefduf troschelii, the Pacific sergeant major or Panama sergeant major, is a species of damselfish belonging to the family Pomacentridae that can be identified by the pronounced black stripes on the lateral sides of the fish. Its specific name honors the zoologist Franz Hermann Troschel (1810-1882). It is native to the neritic pelagic zone of the shallow water coral reefs in the Eastern Pacific Ocean and they are an omnivorous species feeding on plankton and algae attached to their coral habitat. Abudefduf troschelii is a sister-species of A. saxatilis but have diverged from each other since the uplift of the isthmus of Panama, separated by the rise of the Panama land bridge 3.1 to 3.5 million years ago. Males, like in many other marine species, take care of and defend newborn A. troschelii after they have been hatched by eggs from the female. There are currently no major threats to the species and there is no indication of a current decline in its population size. The IUCN Red List lists this damselfish as being of “least concern”.

<i>Amblyglyphidodon flavilatus</i> Species of fish

Amblyglyphidodon flavilatus, known as yellow damselfish, yellowfin damselfish, yellow flank damselfish, yellow side damselfish, and yellow-sided Damselfish, is part Pomacentridae, which is a family of ray-finned fish including damselfish and clownfish. This family represents the greatest diversity and abundance of fish species inhabiting coral reefs. They were first described in 1980 by Allen and Randall.

<i>Stegastes xanthurus</i> Species of fish

Stegastes xanthurus, also known as the Caribbean cocoa damselfish, is a species of damselfish in the family Pomacentridae, found on coral and rocky reefs in the Caribbean Sea and neighboring areas of the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico.

References

  1. ↑ James Cooper, W.; Smith, Lydia L.; Westneat, Mark W. (2009). "Exploring the radiation of a diverse reef fish family: Phylogenetics of the damselfishes (Pomacentridae), with new classifications based on molecular analyses of all genera". Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. 52 (1): 1–16. doi:10.1016/j.ympev.2008.12.010. ISSN   1055-7903. PMID   19135160.
  2. ↑ "A Revised Damselfish Taxonomy with a Description of the Tribe Microspathodontini (Giant Damselfishes)", Biology of Damselfishes, Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press, pp. 13–30, 2016-07-31, doi:10.1201/9781315373874-3 (inactive 2024-11-11), ISBN   978-1-4822-1209-9 , retrieved 2020-12-14{{citation}}: CS1 maint: DOI inactive as of November 2024 (link)
  3. 1 2 Hensley, Dannie A.; Allen, Gerald R. (1996-02-02). "Damselfishes of the World". Copeia. 1996 (1): 229. doi:10.2307/1446968. ISSN   0045-8511. JSTOR   1446968.
  4. ↑ Bellwood, David R.; Sorbini, Lorenzo (1996-06-01). "A review of the fossil record of the Pomacentridae (Teleostei: Labroidei) with a description of a new genus and species from the Eocene of Monte Bolca, Italy". Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society. 117 (2): 159–174. doi: 10.1111/j.1096-3642.1996.tb02154.x . ISSN   0024-4082.
  5. ↑ Mann, David A.; Gorka Sancho (10 September 2007). "Feeding Ecology of the Domino Damselfish, Dascyllus albisella". Copeia. 2007 (3): 566–576. doi:10.1643/0045-8511(2007)2007[566:feotdd]2.0.co;2. S2CID   85873875.
  6. ↑ Williams, Ann Houston (1978). "Ecology of threespot damselfish: Social organization, age structure, and population stability". Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology. 34 (3): 197–213. doi:10.1016/S0022-0981(78)80002-1.
  7. ↑ Bartels, Paul Jon (1984). "Extra-Territorial Movements of a Perennially Territorial Damselfish, Eupomacentrus Dorsopunicans Poey". Behaviour. 91 (4): 312–321. doi:10.1163/156853984X00137. ISSN   0005-7959.
  8. ↑ Brooker, Rohan M. (7 December 2020). "Domestication via the commensal pathway in a fish-invertebrate mutualism". Nature Communications. 11 (1): 6253. Bibcode:2020NatCo..11.6253B. doi: 10.1038/s41467-020-19958-5 . PMC   7721709 . PMID   33288750.
  9. ↑ Knapp, Roland A.; John T. Kovach (1991). "Courtship as an honest indicator of male parental quality in the bicolor damselfish, Stegastes partitus". Behavioral Ecology. 2 (4): 295–300. doi:10.1093/beheco/2.4.295.
  10. ↑ Knapp, Roland A.; Robert R. Warner (May 1991). "Male parental care and female choice in the bicolor damselfish, Stegastes partitus: bigger is not always better". Animal Behaviour. 41 (5): 747–756. doi:10.1016/s0003-3472(05)80341-0. S2CID   53149830.
  11. ↑ Mann, David A.; Phillip S. Lobel (15 February 1997). "Propagation of damselfish (Pomacentridae) courtship sounds". The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America. 101 (6): 3783–3791. Bibcode:1997ASAJ..101.3783M. doi:10.1121/1.418425.
  12. ↑ Itzkowitz, M.; M. J. Draud; J. L. Barnes; M. Haley (March 1998). "Does It Matter That Beaugregory Damselfish Have a Mate Preference?". Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology. 42 (3): 149–155. doi:10.1007/s002650050425. S2CID   46273746.
  13. ↑ Schmale, Michael C. (November 1981). "Sexual selection and reproductive success in males of the bicolor damselfish, Eupomacentrus partitus (Pisces: Pomacentridae)". Animal Behaviour. 29 (4): 1172–1184. doi:10.1016/s0003-3472(81)80069-3. S2CID   53200965.
  14. ↑ Karino, Kenji; Tetsuo Kuwamura (1997). "Plasticity in Spawning Visits of Female Damselfish, Stegastes nigricans: Effect of Distance to Mates". Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology. 41 (1): 55–59. doi:10.1007/s002650050363. S2CID   156801.
  15. ↑ Petersen, Christopher W.; Karen Marchetti (January 1989). "Filial cannibalism in the Cortez Damselfish stegastes rectifraenum". Evolution. 43 (1): 158–168. doi:10.2307/2409171. JSTOR   2409171. PMID   28568498.
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