Photo credit: T. Rueger

SOCIAL BEHAVIOUR AND GROUP LIVING

A number of our projects explore the complex behaviours found in group living coral reef fishes. We use long-term monitoring, acoustic and video recordings to understand life in anemones and corals.

Relevant publications

Rueger, T., Barbasch, T., Versteeg, M. Cambell, A., Buston, P. M. (2025). Interspecific competition among anemonefishes: pink anemonefish engage in hostile takeovers of sea anemones occupied by clown anemonefish. Coral Reefs 44, 339–344.

Yllan, L., Heatwole, S., Wong, M., Rueger, T. (2024). Effect of social context on behaviour in anemonefish hierarchies. Animal Behaviour, 209: 83-93.

Rueger, T., Heatwole, S. J., & Wong, M. Y. L. (2022). Social rank and species-specific differences influence cooperation and conflict in anemonefish societies. Animal Behaviour, 187, 105-116.

Rueger, T., Barbasch, T., Wong, M., Srinivasan, M., Jones, G., Buston, P. (2021). Reproductive control via the threat of eviction in the clown anemonefish. Proc B, 285, 20181295.

Cooperation and conflict in anemonefish societies

International Society for Behaviour Ecology conference, 2022, Stockholm