Year: 2023
Type: article
Abstract: During an escape from predators, many animals need to evaluate and choose a refuge within seconds. We investigated refuge choice in the amphibious blackspotted rockskipper, Entomacrodus striatus, in Moorea, French Polynesia. Rockskippers are small combtooth blennies that inhabit rocky beaches and jetties at the aquatic/terrestrial interface. They are conspicuous for their eponymous jumping to/from refugia among rocks when threatened. We have observed refugia with both multiple conspecifics and solitary fish in the field, and here tested whether fish choose refugia that are occupied by conspecifics in the laboratory. E. striatus chose unoccupied refugia on the opposite side of the experimental tank in 11/14 trials, a significantly greater number of times than they chose occupied refugia. In 3/14 trials, fish chose occupied refugia, indicating that refuge occupation does not prohibit their use by conspecifics. We hypothesize that chemical stress signals from the occupying fish deter most fish from choosing the same refuge.
Source: Journal of Fish Biology
DOI: 10.1111/jfb.15541
Institution: University of Akron
Language: English
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
Estimated APC paid: $4,070
OpenAlex ID: W4386209148