Why Mudskippers Build Walls

Abstract

AbstractThe proximate mechanisms of territorial behaviour in Boleophthalmus boddarti, an amphibious gobiid mudskipper that builds and maintains polygonal mud-walled territories provides a good example of the elastic disc concept of territories. The occurrence of wall building is density dependent and a contiguous mosaic of territories is only produced at high fish densities. Wall removal and replacement experiments show that the mud-wall acts as a visual barrier and reduces aggression between neighbouring territorial fish.