Unusual surface schooling behavior by bullethead parrotfish (Chlorurus sordidus)

• Published in: Coral reefs Vol. 29; no. 4; p. 881
• Main Authors: Meyer, C. G, Dale, J. J, Clark, C. E
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Berlin/Heidelberg : Springer-Verlag 01.12.2010; Springer-Verlag; Springer; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Agnatha. Pisces; Animal and plant ecology; Animal behavior; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Biological and medical sciences; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Chlorurus sordidus; Fish; Freshwater & Marine Ecology; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Life Sciences; Marine; Oceanography; Reef Site; Sea water ecosystems; Synecology; Vertebrates: general zoology, morphology, phylogeny, systematics, cytogenetics, geographical distribution; Direct Observation; Migration; Atoll; Fork Length; Reef Fish; Coral reef; Vertebrata; Behavior; Pisces
• ISSN: 0722-4028; 1432-0975
• DOI: 10.1007/s00338-010-0657-7

Parrotshes routinely form large schools close to the substrate while foraging, migrating or spawning (Johannes 1981). On 30th May 2010 at French Frigate Shoals atoll (N 23.63601, W 166.17235), northwestern Hawaiian Islands, we observed a school of bullethead parrotsh (Chlorurus sordidus) swimming at the surface in a depth of 40 m (Fig. 1a, b). The parrotsh were initially sighted at 1355 h and swam at the surface until 1410 h when the entire school descended to the reef at a depth of 20 m.