Behavior, aggression, and territoriality of Sparisoma viride, stoplight parrotfish

Casey, Kimberly

Looked at the behavior of stoplight parrotfish - both male fish and intermediate fish (which can become male or female). Looked at time spent feeding, resting, cleaning, hiding and acting aggressively. Study site was in an around Greater Lameshur Bay, St. John. The stoplight parrotfish, Sparisoma viride, is a common reef fish found in the West Indies. this study illustrated the frequency of specific behavioral characteristics of these fish as well as determined the difference between the aggressive nature of the terminal male fish as opposed to the intermediate phase fish. In addition, the general territory frequented by each observed fish was mapped and results fr the terminal fish were compared to those of intermediate fish. It was found that the average stoplight parrotfish stops swimming to feed 12.46 times, to rest 3.52 times, to be cleaned 0.49 times, and to hide 1.026 times. A significant difference was found between the number of aggressive interaction observed by the terminal male fish compared to the intermediate fish (p>.05). A significant difference was also found between the number of times the terminal male returned to a central parrotfish feeding area during its observation and the number of times the intermediate returned to the same area. Finally, it was observed that the terminal male is more likely to travel freely over a larger range than the intermediates, which seem to remain closer to the central area occupied by a parrotfish at any given time.