Summary
A long-term daily census of 20 small patch reefs along the backreef of Tague Bay barrier reef, U.S. Virgin Islands, established that recently recruited postlarval French grunts, Haemulon flavolineatum, form mixed schools with at least two species of mysids (genus Mysidium). The formation of these taxonomically unrelated animals into socially interacting groups probably occurs because of the striking resemblance of postlarval grunts to mysids. Over a period of 5 d and as the postlarval grunts grow, these mixed associations break down, only to reform every 14–15 d as new postlarval grunts periodically recruit from the plankton. The fleeting but persistent formation of these mixedspecies schools is believed to initially provide protection to the grunts and, as the grunts grow, limited protection to the mysids. In additions, the grunts benefit trophically from the associations because they prey on the mysids.
Article PDF
Similar content being viewed by others
Avoid common mistakes on your manuscript.
References
Batschelet E (1965) Statistical methods for the analysis of problems in animal orientation and certain biological rhythms. Monogr Am Inst Biol Sci, Washington, DC
Bertram BCR (1978) Living in groups: Predators and prey. In: Krebs JB, Davies NB (eds) Behavioral ecology, an evolutionary approach, part 1. Blackwell, Oxford, pp 64–96
Brattegard T (1969) Marine biological investigations in the Bahamas. 10. Mysidacea from shallow water in the Bahamas and Southern Florida, part 1. Sarsia 39:17–106
Brothers EB, McFarland WN (1981) Correlations between otolith microstructure, growth, and life history transitions in newly recruited French grunts (Haemulon flavolineatum (Desmarest), Haemulidae). In: Lasker R, Sherman K (eds) Early life history of fish, II. Raap R-v Reun Cons Int Explor Mer 178:369–374
Cody ML (1971) Finch flocks in the Mohave Desert. Theor Popul Biol 2:142–148
Ehrlich PR, Ehrlich AH (1973) Co-evolution: heterotypic schooling in Caribbean reef fishes. Am Nat 107:157–160
Eibl-Eibesfeldt I (1962) Freiwasserbeobachtungen zur Deutung des Schwarmverhaltens verschiedener Fische. Z Tierpsychol 19:165–182
Emery AR (1968) Preliminary observations on coral reef plankton. Limnol Oceangr 13:293–303
Helfman GS, Meyer JL, McFarland WN (1982) The ontogeny of twilight migration patterns in grunts (Pisces: Haemulidae). Anim Behav 30:317–326
Hobson ES (1968) Predatory behavior of some shore fishes in the Gulf of California. US Fish Wildl Ser, Res Rep 73:1–92
Hobson ES (1979) Interactions between piscivorous fishes and their prey. In: Clepper H (ed) Predator-prey systems in fisheries management. Sport Fish Inst, Washington, DC, pp 231–242
Hobson ES, Chess JR (1978) Trophic relationships among fishes and plankton in the lagoon of Enewetak Atoll, Marshall Islands. Fish Bull 76:133–153
McFarland WN (1980) Observations on recruitment in Haemulid fishes. Proc Gulf Carib Fish Inst 32nd annual session, pp 132–138
McFarland WN, Hillis ZM (1982) Observations on agonistic behavior between members of juvenile French and white grunt schools-Family Haemulidae. Bull Mar Sci 32:255–268
McFarland WN, Ogden JC, Lythgoe JN (1979) The influence of light on the twilight migrations of grunts. Environ Biol Fish 4:9–22
Milinski M (1977a) Experiments on the selection by predators against spatial oddity of their prey. Z Tierpsychol 43:311–325
Milinski M (1977b) Do all members of a swarm suffer the same predation? Z Tierpsychol 45:373–388
Milinski M (1979) Can an experienced predator overcome the confusion of swarming prey more easily? Anim Behav 27:1122–1126
Morse DH (1967) Foraging relationships of brown-headed nuthatches and pine warblers. Ecology 48:94–103
Morse DH (1970) Ecological aspects of some mixed-species foraging flocks of birds. Ecol Monogr 40:119–168
Moynhan MH (1962) The organization and probable evolution of some mixed species flocks of Neotropical birds. Smithson Misc Collect 146:1–84
Ogden JC, Ehrlich PR (1977) The behavior of heterotypic resting schools of juvenile grunts (Pomadasyidae). Mar Biol 42:273–280
Randall JE, Schroeder RE, Steak WA (1964) Notes on the biology of the echinoid Diadema antillarum. Caribb J Sci 4:421–433
Steven DM (1961) Shoaling behavior in a mysid. Nature 192:280–281
Wilson EO (1975) Sociobiology. Belknap Press, Cambridge, Massachusetts
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
McFarland, W.N., Kotchian, N.M. Interaction between schools of fish and mysids. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 11, 71–76 (1982). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00300094
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00300094