THE SOCIAL AND REPRODUCTIVE-BEHAVIOR OF THE EYED FLOUNDER, BOTHUS-OCELLATUS, WITH NOTES ON THE SPAWNING OF BOTHUS-LUNATUS AND BOTHUS-ELLIPTICUS

Observations of the Caribbean eyed flounder, Bothus ocellatus, were ma de during two field trips to Bonaire, Netherlands Antilles (January 19 90, and December 1990 - January 1991) at depths from 3 to 6 meters. Da ta were collected by six scuba divers during 54 dives totaling 70 hour s. Three mating groups were observed, each consisted of a male and 1 t o 6 females. Each female had a distinct subunit within the male's terr itory. Courtship activity began about one hour before sunset and conti nued until sunset, when the male retired for the night. Both males and females retired into the sand at locations outside their daytime terr itory. Every day, males attempted to mate with each female individuall y within their territory. Spawning began with the male moving under th e female who was resting on the sandy bottom. The pair then made a slo w upward rise approximately 15 to 75 cm above the substrate, which cul minated in a release of a cloud of gametes. Bothus lunatus and Bothus ellipticus exhibited similar social organization to B ocellatus, but d ifferences in the spawning rise were observed. Intraspecific agonistic behavior was observed within males of B, ocellatus and B, ellipticus.