Spacing pattern and body size composition of the protandrous anemonefish Amphiprion frenatus inhabiting colonial host anemones |
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Authors: | Miyako Kobayashi Akihisa Hattori |
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Institution: | (1) Nature Conservation Educators Association Sakishima, 150-4 Shiraho, Ishigaki, Okinawa 907-0242, Japan;(2) Faculty of Liberal Arts and Education, Shiga University, 2-5-1 Hiratsu, Otsu, Shiga 520-0862, Japan |
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Abstract: | The protandrous anemonefish Amphiprion frenatus often forms a group consisting of a large female, a small male, and a smaller nonbreeder at an isolated single host anemone,
where home ranges of subordinates were covered with the female's home range. Within the group, the dominant individuals suppress
the growth of subordinates, resulting in large size differences. The spacing pattern and body size composition of A. frenatus on colonial hosts were investigated in Ishigaki Island, Okinawa, Japan. Six breeding pairs and 14 nonbreeders inhabited a
colony of 157 anemones. Each pair maintained a territory in which pair members used different hosts. Nonbreeders had unstable
home ranges on the outskirts of or in the pairs' territories. Body size differences between males and females in pairs and
between males and nonbreeders were small. The small size differences in the colony of hosts are caused by reduced suppression
of growth of subordinates by the dominant individuals. The total area of host anemones largely affects spacing pattern and
social suppression of the anemonefish. |
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Keywords: | Coral reef fish Microhabitat structure Host density Social structure |
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