A Comparative Field Study of the Social Behavior and Related Ecology of Reef Fishes of the Family Chaetodontidae1)2)

20 species of Chaetodontidae were observed in the field for a total of about 150 hrs at Eniwetok Atoll in the Marshall Islands, at Heron Island on the Great Barrier Reef, and at Johnson Island. During observations the diver either stayed in one place for 30 min, swam transects or followed individual fish. Social groupings of the different species, their intra- and interspecific agonistic interactions and their feeding are described. The frequent occurrence of Chaetodontidae in pairs and the relatively low observed level of agonistic encounters are discussed.