Figure 4.-- Hypop1ectrus guttavarius embraced in the spawning clasp. The 



individual folded around the other one facing head-down opens its 

 mouth while quivering and spawning. 



as both fish quiver. Quivering lasts for 2-3 sec. The individual folded 

 around the other often opens its mouth while quivering (fig. 4). Following 

 consummation, the fish cease embracing and quickly descend to the bottom. 

 The embracing behavior of hamlets when spawning has been termed the spawning 

 clasp (Fischer, 1980a_) and occurs many times throughout an evening. Infrequently, 

 fish would embrace but not quiver, and the release of gametes was not evident. 

 Fischer (1980a_) has described the similar spawning behavior and sexual role of 

 H. nigricans . 



Each pair of hamlets initiated spawning at a specific reef location each 

 evening. Pairs showed strong spawning site specificity. They moved between 

 a few (from 1 to 4) particular sites each evening, and frequently a pair 

 returned to their original site. When some pairs moved between spawning 

 sites, other individuals occasionally interfered and attempted to steal a 

 mate. These 'floater' individuals were seldom successful. Out of all hamlet 

 spawnings observed (N = 314 of 5 spp.), only once was a floater successful in 

 stealing a mate by breaking up an existing pair (the pair and floater species 

 was H^ unicolor ). 



76 



