New behavior by spotted goatfish Pseudupeneus maculatus (Bloch, 1793) was observed. Spotted goatfish interacted by wriggling, touching, and twisting each other's barbels. Detailed observations suggest agonistic encounters of two males as interpretation of this behavior. This observed use of barbels by goatfish differs from their common uses in feeding, and from their previously noted use in courtship. This new behavior also suggests an interpretation for the latter.

Opportunistic predatory reef fishes commonly follow foraging benthivores to feed on prey disturbed by the benthivores. This study examined factors that may restrict the number and the species composition of follower fishes. Association groups common on the reefs around Bonaire were followed and videotaped. The follower compositions and interactions were quantified. Time spent by the followers in different positions around the nuclear benthivore was calculated. Follower species occupied some positions more often than others, and the preferred positions were speciesspecific. A high degree of overlap in these positions corresponded to repelling interactions between followers and to the absence of their co-occurrence in the associations. A low degree of the positional overlap corresponded to the absence of repelling interactions and to co-occurrence of the followers in the same association.

Distribution patterns of live scleractinian coral colonies on vertical faces of concrete blocks were compared with distribution patterns of environmental parameters known to affect coral recruitment and growth. Coral coverage was not random across the blocks and among regions of their faces. Variations in colonization did not correspond to differences in substrate type, illuminance, and water motion intensity. Coral distribution significantly correlated with blocks location and faces orientation, and these correlations depended on prevailing current direction. These correlations and dependencies are consistent with the hypothesis that the coral coverage was detrimentally affected by a low quality of water flow from the local marine port.