Data and code from: Ocean deoxygenation and warming disrupt cooperation in coral reef fish mutualisms

Climate change is intensifying ocean deoxygenation and warming, compounding stressors that threaten tropical marine ecosystems. On coral reefs, cleaner wrasses sustain fish health and community stability by removing ectoparasites from client species during cooperative interactions. However, the mutualism is inherently unstable, as cleaners prefer to feed on clients’ protective mucus—a behaviour considered cheating. To maintain cooperation, clients use partner control strategies, while cleaners employ sophisticated social techniques to manage conflict and maximize food intake. In this study, cleaner wrasses (Labroides dimidiatus) and their clients (Naso elegans) were exposed for at least 33 days to projected climate scenarios of ocean deoxygenation (90 % O2 sat), warming (+3 °C), and the combination of both stressors. We assessed the resilience of the mutualistic interaction through a cooperativeness task (feeding against preference test), measuring learning and cooperation, and through ..., , # GENERAL INFORMATION

This dataset comprises a code script (script.Rdm) with the associated raw data (data*.csv) from: \"Ocean deoxygenation and warming disrupt cooperation in coral reef fish mutualisms.\"

## 1. Paper Citation

B. P. Pereira; R. Oliveira; M. D. Martins; R. Rosa; J. R. Paula (2025). Ocean deoxygenation and warming disrupt cooperation in coral reef fish mutualisms. Behavioral Ecology.[https://doi.org/10.1093/beheco/araf152](https://doi.org/10.1093/beheco/araf152)

## 2. Originators

Beatriz Palinhos Pereira

## 3. Contact information

Name: Beatriz Palinhos Pereira
Institution: MARE ULisboa
email: [[e-mail]](mailto:[e-mail])

## 4. Date of data collection

September 2022

## 5. Geographic location(s) of data collection

Cascais, Portugal

## 6. Information about funding sources that supported the collection and curation of the data

This work was supported by British Ecological Society through a Large Research Grant – LRB21/1004 t...,