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  • This is a small portion of a mass gathering of thousands of humphead parrotfish (Bolbometopon muricatum) that have come together for spawning. When these fish are ready to spawn, their faces take on the pale coloration depicted here. Of interest, some of the fish that participate in this group spawning activity do not exhibit pale faces. Photographed in Palau.
    humphead-parrotfish-mass-spawning-bo...tif
  • Humphead parrotfish (Bolbometopon muricatum) congregating before spawning in large numbers. These fish gather by the thousands, milling around until the tidal conditions are just right. In this photograph, the heads of the fish have not yet turned white, a color change which is a precursor to mass spawning. Photographed in Palau.
    humphead-parrotfish-bolbometopon-mur...tif
  • Group of humphead parrotfish (Bolbometopon muricatum) spawning in the early morning. This group was part of a mass aggregation comprising thousands of fish. Photographed in Palau.
    humphead-parrotfish-spawning-bolbome...tif
  • Large school of humphead parrotfish patrolling the Eastern Fields of Papua New Guinea, very early in the morning. There were several hundred fish in the school.
    school-of-humphead-parrotfish-Bolbom...tif
  • Bumphead parrotfish (Bolbometopon muricatum) spawning aggregation, early morning in deep water, with groups of fish coalescing to release sperm and eggs into the current. Photographed in Palau.
    bumphead-parrotfish-bolbometopon-mur...tif
  • Bumphead parrotfish (Bolbometopon muricatum) clumping together in deep water just before rushing to the surface to spawn together. Photographed in Palau.
    spawning-aggregation-bumphead-parrot...tif
  • A group of bumphead parrotfish (Bolbometopon muricatum) preparing to spawn en masse, very early in the morning. Note the white coloration of their faces, a color shift that occurs during spawning aggregations involving thousands of these large fish.
    bumphead-parrotfish-mass-spawning-ag...tif
  • Bumphead parrotfish (Bolbometopon muricatum) spawning in the early morning, with low light and low visibility, due in part to the clouds of sperm and eggs from the fish. Photographed in Palau.
    bumphead-parrotfish-early-morning-sp...tif
  • Thousands of bumphead parrotfish (Bolbometopon muricatum) amassing in deep water prior to spawning en masse. Note the pale heads of the fish, which signal readiness for spawning. Photographed in Palau.
    bumphead-parrotfish-mass-spawning-bo...tif
  • Bumphead parrotfish (Bolbometopon muricatum) engaged in a massive spawning aggregation, with one group of fish pictured here rising above the mass to spawn. There is one female at the center of the mass, with others being male fish. This takes place early in the morning.
    bumphead-parrotfish-spawning-aggrega...tif
  • Bumphead parrotfish (Bolbometopon muricatum) gathering in shallow water just after sunrise, in preparation for group spawning involving thousands of fish. The fish pictured here are in the transitional time between coming together and the commencement of spawning. Some of the fish have pale faces, which signals their readiness to spawn, while others have yet to take on the pale hue. An outgoing current carrying a lot of suspended particles resulted in low visibility on this day. Photographed in Palau.
    bumphead-parrotfish-spawning-aggrega...tif
  • A group of bumphead parrotfishes (Bolbometopon muricatum) in a spawning cluster. The female is in the middle releasing eggs, surrounded by males releasing sperm. This group was part of a much larger spawning aggregation, comprising thousands of fish. Photographed in the early morning in Palau.
    bumphead-parrotfish-spawning-palau-b...tif
  • Bumphead parrotfish early morning group spawning, producing opaque clouds of sperm and eggs. Photographed in Palau.
    bumphead-parrotfish-spawning-palau-b...tif
  • Bumphead parrotfish (Bolbometopon muricatum) spawning aggregation, early morning in deep water, with groups of fish coalescing to release sperm and eggs into the current. Photographed in Palau.
    bumphead-parrotfish-spawning-aggrega...tif
  • Spawning aggregation of bumphead parrotfish (Bolbometopon muricatum) gathering by the thousands in the early morning to release massive clouds of sperm and eggs into the water. Photographed in Palau.
    spawning-aggregation-bumphead-parrot...tif
  • Bumphead parrotfish (Bolbometopon muricatum) gathering at dawn in preparation for a spawning aggregation. The heads of some individuals have turned white, indicating that they are ready for spawning activity. The majority of fish, however, are not quite ready. Hundreds, sometimes thousands, of fish gather and mill around until there is consensus reached. Then all the fish rush out to deeper water for group spawning.
    bumphead-parrotfish-gathering-before...tif
  • Part of a massive gathering of bumphead parrotfish (Bolbometopon muricatum) comprising thousands of fish engaged in a spawning aggregation. Photographed in the early morning in Palau.
    bumphead-parrotfish-spawning-aggrega...tif
  • The chaotic action of a bumphead parrotfish (Bolbometopon muricatum) spawning aggregation, comprising thousands of fish releasing clouds of sperm and eggs into the water. As depicted here, groups of spawning fish, led by one or possibly more females, rise up from the primary mass of fish to release their gametes, and then rejoin the swarm below. Photographed in the early morning in the Republic of Palau.
    bumphead-parrotfish-spawning-aggrega...tif
  • Bumphead parrotfish (Bolbometopon muricatum) coming together in deep water early in the morning as part of their preparation for group spawning involving thousands of fish. Their faces turn pale prior to commencing group spawning. Photographed in Palau.
    bumphead-parrotfish-bolbometopon-mur...tif
  • Bumphead parrotfish (Bolbometopon muricatum) gathering in shallow water just after sunrise, in preparation for group spawning involving thousands of fish. These aggregations seem to occur often when there is a signficant level of suspended particles due to current and tide conditions. Coupled with low light levels, these conditions may provide the optimal chance for fertilized eggs to escape with the current and grow into fish larvae. Photographed in Palau.
    dawn-gathering-for-spawning-bumphead...tif
  • Bumphead parrotfish (Bolbometopon muricatum) gathering in shallow water early in the morning as part of their preparation for group spawning involving thousands of fish. Photographed in Palau.
    bolbometopon-muricatum-bumphead-parr...tif
  • Clouds of sperm and eggs released by thousands of bumphead parrotfish (Bolbometopon muricatum) engaged in mass spawning in the early morning. Simultaneous release of gametes in such large quantities likely serves to maximize chances of survival for fertilized eggs. Group spawning also obscures visibility underwater, creating hazy, fog-like conditions. Photographed in the early morning in Palau.
    bumphead-parrotfish-spawning-aggrega...tif
  • Massive spawning aggregation of bumphead parrotfish (Bolbometopon muricatum) in the early morning, involving thousands of individuals. During a short span of time, the fish coordinate release of large quantities of sperm and eggs into the water, creating fog-like white-out conditions.
    bumphead-parrotfish-spawning-aggrega...tif
  • Bumphead parrotfish (Bolbometopon muricatum) spawning in the early morning, with low light and low visibility. Thousands of these fish gather for this mass spawning event. Photographed in Palau.
    spawning-aggregation-bolbometopon-mu...tif
  • A small group of humphead parrotfish (Bolbometopon muricatum) that has moved away from the main mass of thousands of fish in order to spawn. This happens repeatedly during mass spawning, with groups of fish swimming away and spawning in rapid succession, leaving the water milky-white and murky. Photographed in Palau.
    bolbometopon-muricatum-bumphead-parr...tif
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