FISHERY BULLETIN: VOL. 79, NO. 1 



Figure 9. — While most of its smaller 

 blennioid relatives go under cover at 

 nightfall, the large clinid Heterostichus 

 rostratus, here amid rising kelp stipes 

 at night, shows a similar attitude at all 

 hours, even though it seems to feed 

 primarily by day. 



was empty, and the two (163 and 207 mm) collected 

 at midnight contained only well digested frag- 

 ments. In comparison, among eight individuals 

 (234-385 mm SL, jc = 280) collected during midaf- 

 ternoon, four contained fresh food, one contained 

 only well digested fragments, and three were 

 empty. 



Gobiidae: Coryphoptertts nicholsi 



Large numbers of the blackeye goby rested in 

 exposed positions on sand bottoms in and around 

 rocks throughout the day, when intermittently, 



they darted forward, or a short distance into the 

 water column, and snapped at tiny prey. Few, how- 

 ever, were visible at night. Presumably most shel- 

 tered in the reef after dark — a pattern reportedly 

 followed by four species of Coryphopterus in the 

 tropical Atlantic Ocean (Smith and Tyler 1972). 

 Gut contents indicate this species feeds little, if at 

 all, after dark. Among the few individuals seen at 

 night, seven (43-83 mm SL, x = 59.3) were col- 

 lected during the hour before the first morning 

 light; the gut of one was empty, and the other six 

 contained only well digested items. In comparison, 

 all 69 specimens (36-90 mm SL,x = 64.1) collected 



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