No previous records of food liabits of this species have been found, 

 but during this study individuals of all sizes were frequently 

 observed nibbling filamentous algae that grejff upon th_e rock, and one 

 was seen taking large pieces of the flat-b laded brown algae, Dictyota . 

 Other algae in the area apparently browsed upon by this or other species 

 included the red algae Acanthophora , Dasya , Digenia , and Laurencia ; 

 the green algae Anadyomene , Halimeda , and Udotea, and the brown algae, 

 Lobophora . Conspicuously perfect, however, were blades of the green 

 algae, Avrainvillea , growing upon the rock home of the damselfishes. 

 Eggs were attached to these blades with filaments, then guarded. 

 Four such sites were located during the study, all on the algal plain 

 in 22 to 23 m depth. Avrainvillea does not occur on the reef proper 

 and no eggs were found with bicolor damselfishes living on the main 

 reef. 



Notes on the behavior and early development of E^. partitus will be 

 reported upon separately, based on frequent observations at three 

 sites of breeding and egg guarding behavior, and collections of eggs 

 taken. The observations agree well with comments by Bohlke and 

 Chapin (1968) regarding JE. partitus in the Bahamas where the species 

 is common on isolated patch reefs in depths between 25 and 75 feet. 

 Males have been seen there guarding eggs attached to a firm substrate. 



Microspathodon chrysurus (Cuvier) . Yellowtail Damself ish 



This small species was common on the reefs in Lameshur Bay associated 

 with coral heads in depths at least 18 m. They were often obseirved 

 nibbling the fine algal turf growing upon rocks, dead coral, and 

 the bases of living coral heads. Randall (1967) regards them as one 

 of the most common reef fishes in the West Indies. He found stomach 

 contents of 45 specimens to contain 89.3% algae plus some diatoms. 

 All the algae, 16 species are filamentous. Beebee and Tee-Van 

 (1928) recorded stomach contents; mostly chewed algae and bottom 

 debris. Bohlke and Chapin (1968) commented that in the Bahamas 

 M. chrysurus browses algae from dead coral surfaces, with no more 

 than a few individuals occurring together at any given time. 



Labridae. Wrasses 



Although characteristically carnivorous, plant material may be taken 

 by aome species. Wrasses are common and conspicuous on coral reefs. 

 About 15 species are recorded for the Caribbean. 



Halichofetaa bivittarus (Bloch) . Slippery Dick 



This species is common on shallow reefs in Lameshur Bay. ^though 

 clearly preferring invertebrates, Randall C1967) found about 5% of 

 the stomach contents of 5 specimens to be the sea grass, Thalassia 

 testudinum. 



VI-147 



