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  • Female Zoarchias major eelpout with her mouth wide open. This little female was particularly pugnacious, seeking out other females for fights and also challenging males for holes in the reef.
    zoarchias-major-eelpout-female-japan...tif
  • Portrait of a female Zoarchias major eelpout looking out from a hole in the reef. These fish often occupy holes like this. On one occasion, I saw one fish kick out a blenny to take over the hole. In another instance, I watched as a female eelpout tried to enter a hole and was punched in the face by a small mantis shrimp that was already occupying the hole.
    zoarchias-major-female-portrait-japa...tif
  • This is a female Zoarchias major eelpout attempting to dislodge a male from a hole in the reef. Females sometimes approach males and curl up next to them, rub against their bodies. This has been misinterpreted as behavior suggesting affection, in the courtship context. Males do the same to females as well. In reality, one fish is attempting to dislodge the other from a prime piece of real estate. Sometimes the intruder succeeds, sometimes not. Image 6 of 6 in a sequence illustrating this behavior.
    zoarchias-major-female-pulling-male-...tif
  • This is a female Zoarchias major eelpout attempting to dislodge a male from a hole in the reef. Females sometimes approach males and curl up next to them, rub against their bodies. This has been misinterpreted as behavior suggesting affection, in the courtship context. Males do the same to females as well. In reality, one fish is attempting to dislodge the other from a prime piece of real estate. Sometimes the intruder succeeds, sometimes not. Image 1 of 6 in a sequence illustrating this behavior.
    zoarchias-major-female-pulling-male-...tif
  • This is a female Zoarchias major eelpout attempting to dislodge a male from a hole in the reef. Females sometimes approach males and curl up next to them, rub against their bodies. This has been misinterpreted as behavior suggesting affection, in the courtship context. Males do the same to females as well. In reality, one fish is attempting to dislodge the other from a prime piece of real estate. Sometimes the intruder succeeds, sometimes not. Image 2 of 6 in a sequence illustrating this behavior.
    zoarchias-major-female-pulling-male-...psd
  • This is a female Zoarchias major eelpout attempting to dislodge a male from a hole in the reef. Females sometimes approach males and curl up next to them, rub against their bodies. This has been misinterpreted as behavior suggesting affection, in the courtship context. Males do the same to females as well. In reality, one fish is attempting to dislodge the other from a prime piece of real estate. Sometimes the intruder succeeds, sometimes not. Image 3 of 6 in a sequence illustrating this behavior.
    zoarchias-major-female-pulling-male-...tif
  • This is a view down the throat of a male Zoarchias major eelpout that has opened its mouth during a confrontation with another male. When the males square off with one another, the size of each male’s mouth plays a role in establishing dominance. It may be possible that the pattern inside the mouth is used for displays, threats and other communication as well. Deep inside the throat are teethlike structures facing toward the rear, quite likely serving to make escape difficult for prey.
    zoarchias-major-male-mouth-open-view...tif
  • This is a female Zoarchias major eelpout attempting to dislodge a male from a hole in the reef. Females sometimes approach males and curl up next to them, rub against their bodies. This has been misinterpreted as behavior suggesting affection, in the courtship context. Males do the same to females as well. In reality, one fish is attempting to dislodge the other from a prime piece of real estate. Sometimes the intruder succeeds, sometimes not. Image 5 of 6 in a sequence illustrating this behavior.
    zoarchias-major-female-pulling-male-...tif
  • This is a female Zoarchias major eelpout attempting to dislodge a male from a hole in the reef. Females sometimes approach males and curl up next to them, rub against their bodies. This has been misinterpreted as behavior suggesting affection, in the courtship context. Males do the same to females as well. In reality, one fish is attempting to dislodge the other from a prime piece of real estate. Sometimes the intruder succeeds, sometimes not. Image 4 of 6 in a sequence illustrating this behavior.
    zoarchias-major-female-pulling-male-...tif
  • This is a female Zoarchias major eelpout (the orange fish) wrapping her caudal fin around the head of a male eelpout occupying a hole in the reef. The female is preparing to try to displace the male from the hole. Image 1 in a sequence of 4 photographs.
    zoarchias-major-eelpout-female-displ...tif
  • This is a female Zoarchias major eelpout (the orange fish) wrapping her caudal fin around the head of a male eelpout occupying a hole in the reef. The female is preparing to try to displace the male from the hole. Image 3 in a sequence of 4 photographs.
    zoarchias-major-eelpout-female-displ...tif
  • This is a female Zoarchias major eelpout (the orange fish) wrapping her caudal fin around the head of a male eelpout occupying a hole in the reef. The female is preparing to try to displace the male from the hole. Image 2 in a sequence of 4 photographs.
    zoarchias-major-eelpout-female-displ...tif
  • This is a female Zoarchias major eelpout (the orange fish) wrapping her caudal fin around the head of a male eelpout occupying a hole in the reef. The female is preparing to try to displace the male from the hole. Image 4 in a sequence of 4 photographs.
    zoarchias-major-eelpout-female-displ...tif
  • This is a female Zoarchias major eelpout approaching another one that has occupied a hole in the reef. The aggressor has clamped her mouth on the occupying fish in an attempt to intimidate and force her out of the hole. Individuals of this species engage in such battles over holes while they are in shallow waters. Females and males alike intimidate both females and males in a continual process of claiming and losing holes. The holes themselves are often those used by blennies, which have been displaced by these fish, but return to the holes once these fish disappear. The purpose of these battles is not clear.
    zoarchias-major-eelpout-females-figh...tif
  • These are Zoarchias major eelpouts. The orange individual is female; the one in the hole is male. The female has approached the male, curled around him and rubbed him in a manner that divers in the area interpreted as affection or interest in the courtship context. In actuality, the female is trying to dislodge the male from the hole in order to occupy it herself. It is an antagonstic encounter, not one characterized by amorous interest. Given that these fish come up from deeper waters to congregate and socialize in this specific place at a specific time of year, the possibility that this activity is related to reproduction in the greater context is high, though how and when reproduction takes place remains unknown. Image 1 in a sequence of 3.
    zoarchias-major-female-getting-ready...tif
  • Two male Zoarchias major eelpouts engaged in competitive fighting, with a female eelpout visible in the background, peeking out from a hole in the hard coral. This competitive fighting behavior is likely related to reproduction, though there does not seem to be a one for one correlation with female acceptance of winning individuals.
    zoarchias-major-male-eelpouts-compet...tif
  • These are Zoarchias major eelpouts. The orange individual is female; the one in the hole is male. The female has approached the male, curled around him and rubbed him in a manner that divers in the area interpreted as affection or interest in the courtship context. In actuality, the female is trying to dislodge the male from the hole in order to occupy it herself. It is an antagonstic encounter, not one characterized by amorous interest. Given that these fish come up from deeper waters to congregate and socialize in this specific place at a specific time of year, the possibility that this activity is related to reproduction in the greater context is high, though how and when reproduction takes place remains unknown. Image 2 in a sequence of 3.
    zoarchias-major-female-getting-ready...tif
  • This is a male Zoarchias major eelpout occupying a hole in the reef, with a female wrapping around him. The female is stalking the male.. She is trying to dislodge him from the hole in order to occupy it herself. Why she engages in this behavior is not clear.
    zoarchias-major-female-harassing-mal...tif
  • Pictured here are two female Zoarchias major eelpouts fighting with their mouths wide open.
    zoarchias-major-eelpout-females-figh...tif
  • This is two male Zoarchias major eelpouts engaging in mouth-to-mouth battle in mid-water. When these fish fight, they usually do not leave the substrate. There are bigger fish around that will happily eat them. These two individuals were evenly matched, which made for a protracted, intense battle.
    zoarchias-major-eelpout-males-fighti...tif
  • Two male Zoarchias major eelpouts engaged in competitive battle, mouths wide open. The fish on the left is ensconced in a hole in the coral, while the challenging fish on the right is fully exposed in the water column. These fish, called ookazunagi in Japanese, engage in this behavior during the spring and summer, presumably as part of their reproductive process. Despite these confrontations, it does not appear that the fish inflict harm on one another.
    zoarchias-major-males-competitive-fi...tif
  • Two male Zoarchias major eelpouts intertwined in competitive battle, mouths wide open, pectoral fins flared. These fish, called ookazunagi in Japanese, engage in this behavior during the spring and summer, presumably as part of their reproductive process.
    zoarchias-major-males-competitive-fi...tif
  • This is a pair of Zoarchias major eelpouts sheltering underneath and within a patch of Sargassum hemiphyllum algae. The one in the foreground is male, in the background female.
    zoarchias-major-eelpouts-male-and-fe...tif
  • Zoarchias major eelpouts engaged in competitive fighting within a mass of Sargassum hemiphyllum algae. These fish, known as ookazunagi in Japanese, blend-in well with the coloration of this and other algaes and seaweeds, providing them with some protection from predation by larger fish.
    zoarchias-major-male-eelpouts-compet...tif
  • Two male Zoarchias major eelpouts with mouths wide open facing off in the middle of Sargassum hemiphyllum algae. The fishes blend-in well with both the coloration and texture of these brown algae and other surrounding vegetation and substrate, providing some measure of protection in the form of camouflage from larger fish patrolling the reef.
    zoarchias-major-eelpouts-fighting-sa...tif
  • Two male Zoarchias major eelpouts intertwined in competitive battle, mouths wide open. These fish, called ookazunagi in Japanese, engage in this behavior during the spring and summer, presumably as part of their reproductive process. Despite these confrontations, it does not appear that the fish inflict harm on one another.
    zoarchias-major-males-competitive-fi...tif
  • Two mature male Zoarchias major eelpouts opening their mouths as wide as possible during a protracted confrontation. From personal observation, it seems likely that the size of the mouth when wide open serves as a means of relative strength comparison. This type of behavior is exhibited during the spring and summer months, presumably associated with reproduction.
    zoarchias-major-male-eelpouts-compet...tif
  • These are Zoarchias major eelpouts. The orange individual is female; the one in the hole is male. The female has approached the male, curled around him and rubbed him in a manner that divers in the area interpreted as affection or interest in the courtship context. In actuality, the female was attempting to dislodge the male from the hole in order to occupy it herself. It is an antagonstic encounter, not one characterized by amorous interest. The male retaliated by biting the female, which caused her to leap and twist in order to escape, as pictured here. Given that these fish come up from deeper waters to congregate and socialize in this specific place at a specific time of year, the possibility that this activity is related to reproduction in the greater context is high, though how and when reproduction takes place remains unknown. Image 3 in a sequence of 3.
    zoarchias-major-female-fighting-with...tif
  • Two female Zoarchias major eelpouts engaged in a mouth-to-mouth fight. Males of many animals engage in competitive battles as part of the reproductive process. Both males and females of this species fight, usually with the same sex, though there seem to be occasional open-mouth conflicts between males and females as well.
    zoarchias-major-females-fighting-ope...tif
  • Two female Zoarchias major eelpouts engaged in a fight. Males of many animals engage in competitive battles as part of the reproductive process. Both males and females of this species fight, usually with the same sex, though there seem to be occasional open-mouth conflicts between males and females as well.
    zoarchias-major-female-eelpouts-figh...tif
  • Pictured here are two male Zoarchias major eelpouts engaged in a mouth-to-mouth confrontation. This behavior is perhaps linked to establishing dominance, as a precursor to reproduction. There is not much known about these fish. Reproduction has not been witnessed or documented.
    zoarchias-major-males-fighting-japan...tif
  • Pictured here are two male Zoarchias major eelpouts engaged in a mouth-to-mouth confrontation. This behavior is perhaps linked to establishing dominance, as a precursor to reproduction. There is not much known about these fish. Reproduction has not been witnessed or documented.
    zoarchias-major-males-fighting-japan...tif
  • Female Zoarchias major peeking her head out from the stalk or holdfast of wakame seawood, also known as mekabu (Undaria pinnatifida). These fish are active, often moving around the reef, taking cover in seaweed, algae and holes.
    zoarchias-major-in-mekabu-wakame-sea...tif
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