Figure 1. --Adult Hypoplectrus guttavarius (the shy hamlet) approximately 



11 cm in length. 



the Buck Island Channel outside Teague Bay Reef on the northeast coast of St. 

 Croix. Observations were made from February 20 to March 3, 1980. Further 

 site descriptions are given by Neudecker and Lobel , 1982. 



METHODS 



Specific pairs of H. guttavarius were identified and details of their 

 spawning behavior were recorded before, during, and after the manipulation. 

 Observers selected one pair each evening and positioned themselves unobtrusively 

 on site at least 15 min before the fish initiated courtship. The baseline 

 spawning behavior of each pair was determined during one or two evenings 

 prior to the disturbance manipulation (3 of 7 pairs were observed for 2 

 consecutive days before the manipulations; the other 4 pairs were observed 

 the day before the manipulations). In cases where sites lacked distinguishing 

 natural features, the specific site at which each pair spawned was marked 

 with small floats. We spent several days diving at all hours, including 

 sunrise, and saw hamlets spawn only during dusk (total observation 158.7 man- 

 hours during the 7 days in HYDROLAB). Data recorded each time a pair spawned 

 included the time, height in the water relative to the bottom and the 

 coral /gorgonian structure over which spawning took place, approximate distance 

 moved between spawning sites, and general notes on the pair's response to 

 observers and other species. 



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