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Observations of schooling behaviour in the oval squid Sepioteuthis lessoniana in coastal waters of Okinawa Island

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  04 March 2013

Chikatoshi Sugimoto ,
Ryoko Yanagisawa ,
Ryuta Nakajima  and
Yuzuru Ikeda
Chikatoshi Sugimoto
Affiliation:
Department of Chemistry, Biology and Marine Sciences, University of the Ryukyus, Nishihara, Okinawa 903-0213, Japan
Ryoko Yanagisawa
Affiliation:
Department of Chemistry, Biology and Marine Sciences, University of the Ryukyus, Nishihara, Okinawa 903-0213, Japan
Ryuta Nakajima
Affiliation:
Department of Art and Design, University of Minnesota, Duluth, Minnesota 55812-3041, USA
Yuzuru Ikeda*
Affiliation:
Department of Chemistry, Biology and Marine Sciences, University of the Ryukyus, Nishihara, Okinawa 903-0213, Japan
*
Correspondence should be addressed to: Y. Ikeda, Department of Chemistry, Biology and Marine Sciences, University of the Ryukyus, Nishihara, Okinawa 903-0213, Japan email: ikeda@sci.u-ryukyu.ac.jp
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Abstract

The schooling behaviour of the oval squid Sepioteuthis lessoniana was observed over 4 summers at 3 observation sites in the coastal waters of Okinawa Island, Ryukyu Archipelago, Japan. During this field study, 3 static appearances (belt, ball and sheet shape) and 2 transitional appearances (high and low density) were noted, recorded and described. In addition to formations, a member of S. lessoniana schools also displayed particular and repeated behavioural patterns such as vanguard and intimidating display. The 3 observation sites were tropical coral reefs near the coastline at a depth of 1 to 15 m on an average. All participating observers snorkelled and were equipped with various underwater digital video and photographic cameras. The schools observed consisted of 8 to over 100 members with a wide range of body sizes. Despite these biological and locational differences, both static and transitional appearances were consistently observed with equally consistent individual behavioural patterns. There have been studies on related species, Sepioteuthis sepioidea, at the San Blas Islands along the Caribbean coast of eastern Panama, and the same species, S. lessoniana, at a different geographical location, Casuarina Beach on Lizard Island, Australia. The findings of this study are consistent with those reported previously, with some notable differences.

Keywords

Cephalopodaoval squidfollowerleaderschoolvanguard
Type
Research Article
Information
Marine Biodiversity Records , Volume 6 , 2013 , e34
Copyright
Copyright © Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom 2013

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Footnotes

3

Present address: Ocean Planning Corporation, Urasoe, Okinawa 901-2102, Japan

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