Unique fish assemblage. Seeking information.
Nancy Daves
Nancy_Daves at ccgate.ssp.nmfs.gov
Mon Feb 5 21:37:55 UTC 1996
Large schools of blue tangs grazing slowly along the reefs
are such a common sight that even shark biologists have
witnessed it many times, and we all know that shark
biologists seldom get wet. It is believed to be a way of
avoiding being chased by territorial fishes or perhaps an
anti predator school. I am sure that, if you look in books
on coral reef fishes, you will find many references to that
behavior. All the best. Jose Castro.
______________________________ Reply Separator _________________________________
Subject: Unique fish assemblage. Seeking information.
Author: MCGRATTA at scccvc.corning-cc.edu at ~INTERNET
Date: 2/5/96 10:29 AM
I July, 1995 we were surveying a reef on the Northern end of San Salvador
Island in the Bahamas when we encountered a close swimming school of about
30 bue tang surrounding a 1.5 meter reef shark. This assemblage processed
along the reef for several hundred meters and was seen 10-15 minutes later
by another team on another part of the reef. We have never seen this
behavior before or since and are curious about it. One suggestion in
discussions has been that it may be similar to the mobbing behavior of
birds in the presence of a predator.
We would really appreciate any insights that you can provide about this.
Tom McGrath
Bahamian Reef Survey P.I.
mcgratta at scccvc.corning-cc.edu
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