Spatial interactions between parrotfishes and implications for species coexistence

Home range behavior is common in animals and mediates species interactions and distributions. We investigated home range behavior and spatial interactions in four common parrotfishes on coral reefs in Bonaire, Caribbean Netherlands, to determine the contributions of spatial interactions to their coexistence. We computed home ranges for females and males of each species and quantified spatial overlap (i.e., static interaction) of co-occurring home range pairs to estimate interaction potential for pairs of individuals. We then analyzed dynamic interactions in simultaneously tracked, spatially co-occurring inter- and intraspecific pairs of parrotfishes to investigate how they interact in shared space. Individuals in inter- and intraspecific pairs of fishes moved mostly independently of each other in shared areas, but we found evidence of avoidance in interspecific pairs sharing the most space. We discuss our findings within the context of parrotfish social behavior to further elucidate the spatial ecology of these functionally important reef fishes. ### Competing Interest Statement The authors have declared no competing interest.