A Study of the Effect of Host size on the Duration of Cleaning Activity by the Neon Goby Elactinus oceanops Greater Lameshur Bay, St. John, USVI
Solomon J. 1986. A Study of the Effect of Host size on the Duration of Cleaning Activity by the Neon Goby Elactinus oceanops Greater Lameshur Bay, St. John, USVI
A report which describes studies conducted on the neon goby and it's hosts including cleaning behaviors, communication, and organization. I examined the cleaning behavior of the neon goby Elactinus oceanops and its numerous hosts, consisting of most reef fishes. I found larger fish spend more time being cleaned than smaller fish, and a regression study supported this data. Also, adult neon gobies have a higher level of communication and organization in their cleaning than juveniles. In addition, I found that host fish sometimes defecate during cleaning.
- Type
- Unpublished Report
- Authors
- Solomon, Joseph
- Date of Issue
- 1986-12
- Units
- VIIS
- Keywords
- commensalism, Communication, ectoparasites, Mutualism, parasite removal, Parasitism