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The mating system of cirrhitids is generally classified as harem polygyny. However, detailed information on the spatial distribution patterns and mating relationships is lacking in large hawkfish species. We investigated the spatial distribution patterns and mating relationships among individuals of the large hawkfish, Paracirrhites forsteri, on a Kuchierabu-jima Island reef in southern Japan. Large males maintained territories and attacked other large males near the boundaries of their territories. Females usually stayed outside of male territories during the day and moved to prominent coral heads within male territories during the late afternoon for mating. Large males spawned with several females around sunset, and females seldom changed their mating partners. In addition, we confirmed the occurrence of small males with a body size similar to that of females. These small males placed their territories against other small males within/around the territories of large males and pair-spawned with small females. The female distribution pattern and occurrence of small males have never been reported in haremic hawkfish, but their stable mating partnership is very similar to that of haremic hawkfish. Our results reveal considerable variation in mating systems within Cirrhitidae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigated the territoriality and the spatial and mating relationships of the haremic hawkfish, Cirrhitichthys falco, on a reef off Kuchierabu-jima Island in southern Japan. Each individual maintained a territorial home range which was defended against same-sex conspecifics at the boundary of the home range. The territory of each male encompassed the territories of 2-3 females, allowing the male to completely monopolize mating opportunities with those females. Based on our observations, we classified the harem type of C. falco as a territorial female type. Large juveniles maintained independent home ranges outside the female territories. In contrast, small juveniles were allowed to cohabit within the territory of an adult female. Stomach contents analysis revealed that the smallest size class of C. falco fed primarily on copepods. In contrast, all other size classes fed primarily on decapods. Together, these results suggest that female territoriality plays an important role in defending food resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Both habitat preferences and social organization can influence the spatial distributions of individuals. We explored effects of individual behavior and social organization on distributions of arc-eye hawkfish ( Paracirrhites arcatus) in lagoons of French Polynesia. Analysis of habitat selectivity data obtained during surveys revealed that the most highly preferred microhabitat of arc-eye hawkfish was large Pocillopora coral with an open branching morphology. However, such corals were rare and most hawkfish occupied smaller, less preferred Pocillopora. Indeed, total abundance of Pocillopora explained nearly two thirds of the lagoon-wide variation in abundance of hawkfish and the derived relationship between the numbers of hawkfish and Pocillopora predicted 86% of the spatial variation in hawkfish abundance during subsequent surveys. In contrast, large, open-branched Pocillopora explained little of the spatial variation in abundance of hawkfish. Individual behavior and social organization significantly impacted use of the most highly preferred Pocillopora. During a colonization experiment set up outside hawkfish home ranges, all colonizers resided on the most highly preferred corals. Following addition of the most highly preferred Pocillopora corals to areas occupied by hawkfish, only the largest, socially dominant individuals obtained access to added corals, spending significantly more time and increasing both aggressive acts and prey attacks from these substrates. These results illustrate the importance of understanding the modulating effects of social behavior on habitat use and explain why most hawkfish individuals do not occupy their most preferred microhabitat type. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]