MCR LTER: Coral Reef Resilience: Juvenile Parrotfish Habitat Associations at North Shore Fringe and Backreef in March 2011

These data describe habitat associations of juvenile parrotfish (Scaridae)
encountered during systematic searches at LTER 1 and LTER 2 fringing reef and back
reef sites during March 2011. At each site SCUBA divers or snorkelers identified,
counted, and estimated the sizes of juvenile parrotfish and recorded the
microhabitat that each individual or group of individuals was associated with on two
100 m x 10 m wide transects (n = 8 transects total). Upon encountering a juvenile
or group of juveniles, the surveyor recorded the microhabitat type that fishes were
first seen to be closest to. They also closely observed the behavior of fishes to
see if they were utilizing a particular microhabitat as shelter, and if so this was
also recorded. Several groups of fishes first observed to be grazing on hard
substrate or on macroalgae quickly retreated into the nearby coral Porites rus when
approached. Hence for these individuals we considered the initial habitat they were
associated with (e.g., hard substrate or macroalgae) to be their primary
microhabitat, but also noted that they were associated with Porites rus for
shelter.