Synopsis
The Hawaiian damselfish, Stegastes fasciolatus, defends an all-purpose territory on shallow-water reefs. By conceptually dividing each territory into 3 horizontal and 2 vertical zones, each intruder into the territory was recorded by species, zones violated, and reaction of the resident. Intruders included 3 herbivorous, 7 omnivorous, and 2 carnivorous species. A BMDP ‘4F’ analysis for multiway tables was applied to examine the relationships between the proximate causal factors eliciting the chase response by a resident. Species of intruder and their position in the territory had an additive effect on the chase response, with position in the territory as the less important factor. Distance from the bottom was not indicated as an important factor. The ecological implications of these results are discussed.
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Harrington, M.E., Losey, G.S. The importance of species identification and location on interspecific territorial defense by the damselfish, Stegastes fasciolatus . Environ Biol Fish 27, 139–145 (1990). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00001943
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00001943