Co-Defense of Territory Space by Two Species of Coral Reef Fishes

In Jamaica, the saddle blenny (Malacoctenus triangulatus) and the beaugregory damselfish (Stegastes leucostictus) defend territories in small rubble and sand habitats. When defending separate territories, both species were highly aggressive to conspecifics and both attacked the egg-eating bluehead wrasse (Thalassoma bifasciatum). When defending the same territorial space, both species remained highly aggressive to conspecifics. However, in this association, the beaugregory was the primary defender against the bluehead wrasse.