Site-level field of view is associated with altered anti-predator responses in farming damselfish

The three-dimensional (3D) structure of habitats influences how prey detect and respond to predators, but the specific roles of different aspects of structural complexity remain poorly understood, particularly in coral reef ecosystems. We used 3D models of three Caribbean reef sites to quantify three structural metrics at site-level: field of view (the extent of observable area), refuge density (density of holes), and rugosity (reef surface roughness). We then observed the anti-predator behaviour of damselfish, parrotfish, and wrasses at each site. Refuge density was similar across sites, likely reflecting long-term regional loss of fine-scale complexity in the Caribbean. Territorial damselfish showed species-specific responses to habitat structure, especially in relation to field of view. Stegastes adustus, for example, exhibited shorter flight initiation distances (FIDs) at the site with the highest field of view, consistent with expectations from optimal escape theory. In contrast, w..., , # GENERAL INFORMATION

**1. Paper Citation**

Boon, J. S., Stratford, J. E., Lynch, J., Yesson, C., Keith, S. A., Exton, D. A., & Field, R. (2025). Site-level field of view is associated with altered anti-predator responses in farming damselfish. *Behavioral Ecology*

 

**2. Abstract**

\[see above]

 

**3. Originators**

James S Boon

 

**4. Contact information**

James S Boon

Location: School of Geography, University Park, University of Nottingham, UK

Email: [[e-mail]](mailto:[e-mail])

 

**5. Date of data collection**

June to August 2022 and 2023

 

**6. Geographic location of data collection**

Utila, Bay Islands, Honduras

 

**7. Funding sources**

Natural Environment Research Council

 

## **ACCESS INFORMATION**

1\. Licenses/restrictions placed on the data

None

 

2\. Data derived from other sources

No

 

### **DATA FILES AND VARIABLES**

**1. anti_predator_data_beh_ecol.csv**

This .csv file contains the raw anti-predator response data colle...,