Abstract
Many species of coral reef fishes form pairs. While it is assumed that pairs represent the breeding unit of these species, the reproductive status of paired versus solitary individuals, and changes in status associated with pair-formation have seldom been investigated. In order to assess whether pairing is related to reproduction we examined whether the ontogenetic timing of pair formation coincided with the onset of maturation in four species of fishes: Chaetodon lunulatus and Chaetodon melannotus (family Chaetodontidae), and Valenciennea muralis and Valenciennea strigata (family Gobiidae). 65–78% of all fishes occurred in pairs. In C. lunulatus and V. muralis, pair-formation coincided with maturation, suggesting that these species form pairs for breeding. Further, C. lunulatus and V. muralis exhibited significant positive size-assortative pairing, which is often associated with monogamous mating. In contrast, pair formation in C. melannotus and V. strigata did not coincide with maturation. In both these species many solitary individuals were reproductive, and same sex pairs were common. While reproduction may be the basis for pairing in some species, both solitary and paired individuals are capable of breeding in others. We propose that non-reproductive mechanisms, such as predator vigilance, may explain pair-formation in coral reef fishes with non-monogamous breeding systems.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Alino PM, Sammarco PW, Coll JC (1988) Studies of the feeding preferences of Chaetodon melannotus (Pices) for soft corals (Coelenterata; Octocorallia). In: Proceedings of 6th Int Coral Reef Symp 3:31–36
Barlow GW (1987) Spawning, eggs and larvae of the longnose filefish Oxymonacanthus longirostris, a monogamous coralivore. Environ Biol Fish 20:183–194
Berumen ML (2004) The importance of juveniles in modelling growth: butterflyfish at Lizard Island. Environ Biol Fish 72:409–413
Berumen ML, Pratchett MS (2005) Effects of resource availability on the competitive behaviour of butterflyfishes (Chaetodontidae). In: Proceedings of 10th Int Coral Reef Symp (in press)
Berumen ML, Pratchett MS, McCormick MI (2005) Within reef variation in the diet and condition of two coral feeding butterflyfish (Pices: Chaetodontidae). Mar Ecol Prog Ser 287:217–227
Clark E, Pohle JF (1992) Monogamy in tilefish. Nat Geogr Res Explor 8:276–295
Cole KS, Hoese DF (2001) Gonad morphology, colony demography and evidence for hermaphroditism in Gobiodon okinawae (Teleostei, Gobiidae). Environ Biol Fish 61:161–173
Emlen ST, Oring LW (1977) Ecology, sexual selection, and the evolution of the mating systems. Science 197:215–223
Fishelson L (1991) Comparative cytology and morphology of seminal vesicles in male gobiid fishes. Jpn J Ichthyol 38:17–30
Fricke HW (1986) Pair swimming and mutual partner guarding in monogamous butterflyfish (Pisces, Chaetodontidae): a joint advertisement for territory. Ethology 73:307–333
Gore MA (1983) The effect of a flexible spacing system on the social organization of a coral reef fish, Chaetodon capistratus. Behaviour 85:118–145
Gwinner E, Rödl T, Schwabl H (1994) Pair territoriality of wintering stonechats: behaviour, function and hormones. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 34:321–327
Harding JA, Almay GR, Houck LD, Hixon MA (2003) Experimental analysis of monogamy in the Caribbean cleaner goby, Gobiosoma evelynae. Anim Behav 65:865–874
Hess HC (1993) Male mouthbrooding in jawfishes (Opistognathidae): constraints on polygyny. Bull Mar Sci 52:808–816
Hourigan TF (1989) Environmental determinants of butterflyfish social systems. Environ Biol Fish 25:61–78
Knowlton N (1979) Reproductive synchrony, parental investment, and the evolutionary dynamics of sexual selection. Anim Behav 27:1022–1033
Kleiman DG (1977) Monogamy in mammals. Q Rev Biol 52:39–69
Kuwamura T, Yogo Y, Nakashima Y (1993) Size-assortative monogamy and parental egg care in a coral goby, Paragobiodon echinocephalus. Ethology 85:65–75
McKaye KR (1986) Mate choice and size assortative pairing by the cichlid fishes of Lake Jiloa, Nicaragua. J Fish Biol 29:135–150
Mazzoldi C (2001) Reproductive apparatus and mating system in tropical goby species. J Fish Biol 59:1686–1691
Munday PL, Wilson SK (1997) Comparative efficacy of clove oil and other chemicals in anaesthetisation of Pomacentrus amboinensis, a coral reef fish. J Fish Biol 51:931–938
Munday PL, Jones GP (1998) The ecological implications of small body size among coral-reef fishes. Oceanogr Mar Biol 36:373–411
Poole TB (1985) Social behaviour in mammals. Chapman and Hall, New York
Pratchett MS (2005) Dietary overlap among coral-feeding butterflyfishes (Chaetodontidae) at Lizard Island, northern Great Barrier Reef. Mar Biol 148:373–382
Pulliam HR (1973) On the advantages of flocking. J Theor Biol 38:419–422
Randall JE, Allen GR, Steene RC (1990) Fishes of the great barrier reef and coral sea. Crawford House, Bathurst
Reavis RH (1997a) The natural history of a monogamous coral-reef fish, Valenciennea strigata (Gobiidae): 1 abundance, growth, survival and predation. Environ Biol Fish 49:239–246
Reavis RH (1997b) The natural history of a monogamous coral-reef fish, Valenciennea strigata (Gobiidae): 2 behaviour, mate fidelity and reproductive success. Environ Biol Fish 49:247–257
Reavis RH, Barlow GW (1998) Why is the coral-reef fish Vaenciennea strigata (Gobiidae) monogamous? Behav Ecol Sociobiol 43:229–237
Reese ES (1975) A comparative field study of the social behavior and related ecology of reef fishes of the Family Chaetodontidae. Z Tierpsychol 37:37–61
Reese ES (1981) Predation on corals by fishes of the family Chaetodontidae: implications for conservation and management of coral reef ecosystems. Bull Mar Sci 31:594–604
Roberts CM, Ormond RFG (1992) Butterflyfish social behaviour, with special reference to the incidence of territoriality: a review. Environ Biol Fish 34:79–93
Robertson DR, Polunin NVC, Leighton K (1979) The behavioral ecology of three Indian Ocean surgeonfishes (Acanthurus lineatus, A leucosternon, Zebrasoma scopas): their feeding strategies, and social and mating system. Environ Biol Fish 4:125–170
Roff DA (1984) The evolution of the life history parameters in teleosts. Can J Fish Aquat Sci 41:989–100
Singer F, Riechert SE (1995) Mating system and mating success in desert spider, Agelenopsis aperta. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 19:25–39
Thresher RE (1984) Reproduction in reef fishes. T.F.H. Publications, Neptune City
Warner RR (1984) Mating behaviour and hermaphroditism in coral reef fishes. Am Sci 72:128–136
West G (1990) Methods of assessing ovarian development in fishes: a review. Aust J Mar Fresh Res 41:199–222
Whiteman EA, Côté IM (2004) Monogamy in marine fishes. Biol Rev 79:351–375
Wilson EO (1980) Sociobiology. Belknap Press, Cambridge
Wittenberger JF, Tilson RL (1980) The evolution of monogamy. Ann Rev Ecol Syst 11:197–232
Yabuta S (1997) Spawning migrations in the monogamous butterflyfish, Chaetodon trifasciatus. Ichthyol Res 44:177–182
Yabuta S (2000) Behaviors in agnostic interaction of the butterflyfish (Chaetodon lunulatus). J Ethol 18:11–15
Acknowledgements
This study was conducted in partial fulfilment of an honours degree in marine ecology by O. Pradjakusuma. It was financially supported by an ARC Discovery Grant to G.P. Jones. Field assistance was provided by L. Barnes, A. Chenet, J-P. Hobbs, K. Pollock, and M. Verrecchia. Staff at the Mahonia Na Dari Research and Conservation Centre in PNG and the Orpheus Island Research Station provided logistic support. Comments by G. Almany, A. Baird, and M. Srinivasan greatly improved the current manuscript. This is contribution number 273 from the Centre for Coral Reef Biodiversity at James Cook University.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
Communicated by Biology Editor M.I. McCormick
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Pratchett, M.S., Pradjakusuma, O.A. & Jones, G.P. Is there a reproductive basis to solitary living versus pair-formation in coral reef fishes?. Coral Reefs 25, 85–92 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00338-005-0081-6
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00338-005-0081-6