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BURROWING AND BURROW-ASSOCIATED BEHAVIOR IN THE DUSKY JAWFISH, OPISTOGNATHUS WHITEHURSTI

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Date Issued:
1974
Summary:
Dusky jawfish, Opistognathus whitehursti (Longley), excavate three types of burrows analogous to "open chamber", "under rock", and "erosion hole" burrows seen in 0. aurifrons. Burrow type is determined by substrate conditions at the burrow site. No burrows examined exceeded 15 cm in depth, and all entrance tunnels were lined with coral ruhble or shell fragments. Availability of material to reinforce tunnel and chamber walls is more important in burrow distribution than actual substrate particle size. Dusky jawfish initiate burrow construction using body trunk movements to form a small pit. Mouth burrowing begins when this pit reaches approximately one-third of the fish's body length. Burrows are completed in five to six hours. Within colonies, individuals maintain territories vigorously guarded from conspecifics and smaller fish. Defense actions may escalate through several steps to physical contact. A complex color change accompanies these defense actions. Female dusky jawfish produce egg masses bound together by threads arising on individual eggs.
Title: BURROWING AND BURROW-ASSOCIATED BEHAVIOR IN THE DUSKY JAWFISH, OPISTOGNATHUS WHITEHURSTI.
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Name(s): Thompson, M. John
Florida Atlantic University, Degree grantor
Type of Resource: text
Genre: Electronic Thesis Or Dissertation
Issuance: monographic
Date Issued: 1974
Publisher: Florida Atlantic University
Place of Publication: Boca Raton, Fla.
Physical Form: application/pdf
Extent: 117 p.
Language(s): English
Summary: Dusky jawfish, Opistognathus whitehursti (Longley), excavate three types of burrows analogous to "open chamber", "under rock", and "erosion hole" burrows seen in 0. aurifrons. Burrow type is determined by substrate conditions at the burrow site. No burrows examined exceeded 15 cm in depth, and all entrance tunnels were lined with coral ruhble or shell fragments. Availability of material to reinforce tunnel and chamber walls is more important in burrow distribution than actual substrate particle size. Dusky jawfish initiate burrow construction using body trunk movements to form a small pit. Mouth burrowing begins when this pit reaches approximately one-third of the fish's body length. Burrows are completed in five to six hours. Within colonies, individuals maintain territories vigorously guarded from conspecifics and smaller fish. Defense actions may escalate through several steps to physical contact. A complex color change accompanies these defense actions. Female dusky jawfish produce egg masses bound together by threads arising on individual eggs.
Identifier: 13674 (digitool), FADT13674 (IID), fau:10509 (fedora)
Collection: FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection
Note(s): Thesis (M.S.)--Florida Atlantic University, 1974.
Charles E. Schmidt College of Science
Subject(s): Opisthognathidae--Behavior
Burrowing animals
Held by: Florida Atlantic University Libraries
Persistent Link to This Record: http://purl.flvc.org/fcla/dt/13674
Sublocation: Digital Library
Use and Reproduction: Copyright © is held by the author with permission granted to Florida Atlantic University to digitize, archive and distribute this item for non-profit research and educational purposes. Any reuse of this item in excess of fair use or other copyright exemptions requires permission of the copyright holder.
Use and Reproduction: http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/
Host Institution: FAU
Is Part of Series: Florida Atlantic University Digital Library Collections.