Fig. 3: Ecological constraints experiment #2. | Communications Biology

Fig. 3: Ecological constraints experiment #2.

From: Ecological and social constraints combine to promote evolution of non-breeding strategies in clownfish

Fig. 3

a Methods: relocation of rank 3 non-breeding individuals inside one of the two alternative classes of anemones (empty anemones, n = 16; anemones with a breeding male, n = 16) at a distance of 0.5 m (weaker ecological constraints) and 5 m (stronger ecological constraints) from 32 focal groups. b Results: comparison of the counts of dispersal of rank 3 non-breeding individuals by type and strength of ecological constraint: weaker-empty; weaker-male; stronger-empty; stronger-male; Fisher’s Exact Tests: “NS” non-significant (p > 0.05); “*” significant (p < 0.05); horizontal brackets indicate pairwise comparisons. All work was conducted using A. percula groups inhabiting H. magnifica anemones, on inshore reefs near Mahonia Na Dari Research and Conservation Centre, in Kimbe Bay, Papua New Guinea, from June to September 2018, using SCUBA at depths of up to 20 m. At the end of the experiment, all individuals were returned to their home anemones.

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