Cooperative hunting and foraging on Hawaiian reefs

Coopertive hunting and foraging is a potentially mutualistic relationship between species and within species that can be observed on Hawaiian reefs. It is thought that all the individuals working together may benefit from such a relationship. For example, two species hunting alone may not be as successful in capturing a prey as compared to working together. There is also the potential for one predator to steal the food of another in which case the relationship is called kleptoparasitism.

Coopertive Foraging
Two fish species, a male Bullethead parrot fish (Chlorurus spilurus) and a Saddle Wrasse (Thalassoma duperrey), foraging together on a reef on the Kona coast, the Big Island, Hawaii, USA.
Actinopterygii Animal Biology Bullethead Parrotfish Chlororus sordidus Chordata Class Actinopterygii Cnidaria Ecology Fish Infraclass Teleostei Invertebrate Kona coast dive site Labridae Labroidei Lone Tree Arch Neopterygii Perciformes Phylum Chordata Phylum Cnidaria Saddle Wrasse Scaridae Seacam underwater housing Subclass Neopterygii Teleost Teleostei Thalassoma duperrey Vertebrate aquarium aquatic biological biosphere chordate cnidarian coelenterate colony colorful cooperative foraging coral deep dive diving exotic food fish in situ life living male marine marine life naturalworld nature ocean organism reef saltwater scuba sea snorkeling spinyfinned fish swim swimming tourism travel tropical underwater underwaterphoto vacation water wild wildlife winter
Orangeband Surgeonfish
Orangeband Surgeonfish (Acanthurus olivaceus) feeding cooperatively on turf algae.
Acanthuridae Acanthuroidei Acanthurus olivaceus Actinopterygii Animal Biology Chordata Class Actinopterygii Ecology Gray Chub Infraclass Teleostei Kona coast dive site Kyphosidae Kyphosus sandwicensis Lone Tree Arch Neopterygii Orangeband Surgeonfish Pacific Chub Perciformes Percoidei Phylum Chordata Seacam underwater housing Subclass Neopterygii Teleost Teleostei Vertebrate biological biosphere chordate in situ living marine life naturalworld nature organism underwater underwaterphoto wild winter
Orangeband Surgeonfish
Orangeband Surgeonfish (Acanthurus olivaceus) feeding cooperatively on turf algae.
Acanthuridae Acanthuroidei Acanthurus olivaceus Actinopterygii Animal Biology Chordata Class Actinopterygii Ecology Infraclass Teleostei Kona coast dive site Lone Tree Arch Neopterygii Orangeband Surgeonfish Perciformes Phylum Chordata Seacam underwater housing Subclass Neopterygii Teleost Teleostei Vertebrate biological biosphere chordate in situ living marine life naturalworld nature organism underwater underwaterphoto wild winter
Orangeband Surgeonfish
Orangeband Surgeonfish (Acanthurus olivaceus) feeding cooperatively on turf algae.
Acanthuridae Acanthuroidei Acanthurus olivaceus Actinopterygii Animal Biology Chordata Class Actinopterygii Ecology Infraclass Teleostei Kona coast dive site Lone Tree Arch Neopterygii Orangeband Surgeonfish Perciformes Phylum Chordata Seacam underwater housing Subclass Neopterygii Teleost Teleostei Vertebrate biological biosphere chordate in situ living marine life naturalworld nature organism underwater underwaterphoto wild winter
Cooperative hunting
A Peacock Grouper (Cephalopis argus) and a Whitemouth Moray Eel (Gymnothorax meleagris) hunting cooperatively on the Kona coast, The Big Island, Hawaii, USA.
Actinopterygii Anguilliformes Animal Biology Cephalopholis argus Chordata Class Actinopterygii Ecology Elopocephalai Gymnothorax meleagris Infraclass Teleostei Muraenidae Neopterygii Peacock Grouper Perciformes Percoidei Phylum Chordata Seacam underwater housing Serranidae Spring Subclass Neopterygii Superorder Elopomorpha Taeniopaedia Teleost Teleostei Vertebrate Whitemouth Moray Eel biological biosphere chordate coopertive hunting in situ introduced species invasive invasive species living marine life mutualism naturalworld nature organism scuba scuba diving underwater underwater photography underwaterphoto wild
Cooperative hunting
A Peacock Grouper (Cephalopis argus) and a Whitemouth Moray Eel (Gymnothorax meleagris) hunting cooperatively on the Kona coast, The Big Island, Hawaii, USA.
Actinopterygii Anguilliformes Animal Biology Cephalopholis argus Chordata Class Actinopterygii Ecology Elopocephalai Gymnothorax meleagris Infraclass Teleostei Muraenidae Neopterygii Peacock Grouper Perciformes Percoidei Phylum Chordata Seacam underwater housing Serranidae Spring Subclass Neopterygii Superorder Elopomorpha Taeniopaedia Teleost Teleostei Vertebrate Whitemouth Moray Eel biological biosphere chordate coopertive hunting in situ introduced species invasive invasive species living marine life mutualism naturalworld nature organism scuba scuba diving underwater underwater photography underwaterphoto wild
Convict Suregonfish foraging coopertively
Convict Suregonfish (Acanthurus triostegus) foraging cooperatively on turf algae that were photographed under water while snorkeling Kona, the Big Island, Hawaii.
Acanthuridae Acanthuroidei Acanthurus triostegus Actinopterygii Animal Big Island Biology Chordata Class Actinopterygii Convict Surgeonfish Convict Tang Ecology Hawaii Infraclass Teleostei Kahaluu KailuaKona Kona Neopterygii Perciformes Phylum Chordata Seacam underwater housing Subclass Neopterygii Teleost Teleostei United States Vertebrate biological biosphere chordate in situ living marine life naturalworld nature organism snorkeling underwater underwaterphoto wild
Convict Suregonfish foraging coopertively
Convict Suregonfish (Acanthurus triostegus) foraging cooperatively on turf algae that were photographed under water while snorkeling Kona, the Big Island, Hawaii.
Acanthuridae Acanthuroidei Acanthurus triostegus Actinopterygii Animal Big Island Biology Chordata Class Actinopterygii Convict Surgeonfish Convict Tang Ecology Hawaii Infraclass Teleostei Kahaluu KailuaKona Kona Neopterygii Perciformes Phylum Chordata Seacam underwater housing Subclass Neopterygii Teleost Teleostei United States Vertebrate biological biosphere chordate in situ living marine life naturalworld nature organism snorkeling underwater underwaterphoto wild
Blue Goatfish and Bluefin Trevally foraging cooperatively
Blue Goatfish (Parupeneus cyclostomus) and Bluefin Trevally (Caranx melampygus) foraging cooperatively on a coral reef of the Kona coast, the Big Island, Hawaii, USA.
Actinopterygii Animal Big Island Biology Blue Goatfish Bluefin Trevally Carangidae Carangiformes Caranx melampygus Chordata Class Actinopterygii Ecology Hawaii Infraclass Teleostei Mullidae Neopterygii Parupeneus cyclostomus Perciformes Percoidei Phylum Chordata Seacam underwater housing Subclass Neopterygii Teleost Teleostei The Big Island United States Vertebrate biological biosphere chordate coopertive hunting in situ living marine life naturalworld nature organism underwater underwaterphoto wild
Blue Goatfish and Bluefin Trevally foraging cooperatively
Blue Goatfish (Parupeneus cyclostomus) and Bluefin Trevally (Caranx melampygus) foraging cooperatively on a coral reef of the Kona coast, the Big Island, Hawaii, USA.
Actinopterygii Animal Big Island Biology Blue Goatfish Bluefin Trevally Carangidae Carangiformes Caranx melampygus Chordata Class Actinopterygii Ecology Hawaii Infraclass Teleostei Mullidae Neopterygii Parupeneus cyclostomus Perciformes Percoidei Phylum Chordata Seacam underwater housing Subclass Neopterygii Teleost Teleostei The Big Island United States Vertebrate biological biosphere chordate coopertive hunting in situ living marine life naturalworld nature organism underwater underwaterphoto wild
Blue Goatfish and Bluefin Trevally foraging cooperatively
Blue Goatfish (Parupeneus cyclostomus) and Bluefin Trevally (Caranx melampygus) foraging cooperatively on a coral reef of the Kona coast, the Big Island, Hawaii, USA.
Actinopterygii Animal Big Island Biology Blue Goatfish Bluefin Trevally Carangidae Carangiformes Caranx melampygus Chordata Class Actinopterygii Ecology Hawaii Infraclass Teleostei Mullidae Neopterygii Parupeneus cyclostomus Perciformes Percoidei Phylum Chordata Seacam underwater housing Subclass Neopterygii Teleost Teleostei The Big Island United States Vertebrate biological biosphere chordate coopertive hunting in situ living marine life naturalworld nature organism underwater underwaterphoto wild
Blue Goatfish and Bluefin Trevally foraging cooperatively
Blue Goatfish (Parupeneus cyclostomus) and Bluefin Trevally (Caranx melampygus) foraging cooperatively on a coral reef of the Kona coast, the Big Island, Hawaii, USA.
Actinopterygii Animal Big Island Biology Blue Goatfish Bluefin Trevally Carangidae Carangiformes Caranx melampygus Chordata Class Actinopterygii Ecology Hawaii Infraclass Teleostei Mullidae Neopterygii Parupeneus cyclostomus Perciformes Percoidei Phylum Chordata Seacam underwater housing Subclass Neopterygii Teleost Teleostei The Big Island United States Vertebrate biological biosphere chordate coopertive hunting in situ living marine life naturalworld nature organism underwater underwaterphoto wild
Blue Goatfish and Bluefin Trevally foraging cooperatively
Blue Goatfish (Parupeneus cyclostomus) and Bluefin Trevally (Caranx melampygus) foraging cooperatively on a coral reef of the Kona coast, the Big Island, Hawaii, USA.
Actinopterygii Animal Big Island Biology Blue Goatfish Bluefin Trevally Carangidae Carangiformes Caranx melampygus Chordata Class Actinopterygii Ecology Hawaii Infraclass Teleostei Mullidae Neopterygii Parupeneus cyclostomus Perciformes Percoidei Phylum Chordata Seacam underwater housing Subclass Neopterygii Teleost Teleostei The Big Island United States Vertebrate biological biosphere chordate coopertive hunting in situ living marine life naturalworld nature organism underwater underwaterphoto wild
Lau'ipala, Yellow Tang
Yellow Tang (Zebrasoma flavescens) grazing cooperatively on benthic algae in water less than two meters deep (six feet) at Kona, the Big Island, Hawaii.
Acanthuridae Acanthuroidei Actinopterygii Animal Big Island Biology Chordata Class Actinopterygii Ecology Hawaii Infraclass Teleostei Kahaluu KailuaKona Kona Neopterygii Perciformes Phylum Chordata Seacam underwater housing Subclass Neopterygii Teleost Teleostei United States Vertebrate Yellow Tang Zebrasoma flavescens biological biosphere chordate cooperative foraging in situ living marine life naturalworld nature organism snorkeling underwater underwaterphoto wild
Threadfin Butterflyfish and Bridled Triggerfish
A Threadfin Butterflyfish (Chaetodon auriga) and a Bridled Triggerfish (Sufflamen fraenatus) foraging coopertively off Maui, Hawaii, USA.
Actinopterygii Animal Balistidae Biology Bridled Triggerfish Chaetodon auriga Chaetodontidae Chordata Class Actinopterygii Ecology Infraclass Teleostei Neopterygii Perciformes Percoidei Phylum Chordata Plectognathi Seacam underwater housing Subclass Neopterygii Sufflamen fraenatus Teleost Teleostei Tetraodontiformes Threadfin Butterflyfish Vertebrate biological biosphere butterflyfish chordate cooperative foraging in situ living marine life naturalworld nature organism underwater underwater photography underwaterphoto wild
Cooperative Forgaing
A Redlip Parrotfish (Scarus rubroviolaceus) and a Saddle Wrasse (Thalassoma duperrey) foraging cooperatively at Molokini Crater, Maui Island, Hawaii, USA.
Actinopterygii Animal Biology Chordata Class Actinopterygii Ecology Ember Parrotfish Hawaii Hawaiian endemic Infraclass Teleostei Labroidei Neopterygii Perciformes Phylum Chordata Redlip Parrotfish Scaridae Scarus rubroviolaceus Seacam underwater housing Subclass Neopterygii Teleost Teleostei United States Vertebrate biological biosphere chordate cooperative foraging endemic in situ living marine marine life mutualism naturalworld nature organism parrotfish scuba scuba diving underwater underwater photography underwaterphoto wild
Cooperative hunting
A Peacock Grouper (Cephalopis argus) and a Whitemouth Moray Eel (Gymnothorax meleagris) hunting cooperatively on the Kona coast, the Big Island, Hawaii, USA.
Actinopterygii Anguilliformes Animal Biology Cephalopholis argus Chordata Class Actinopterygii Ecology Elopocephalai Gymnothorax meleagris Hawaii Infraclass Teleostei Muraenidae Neopterygii Peacock Grouper Perciformes Percoidei Phylum Chordata Seacam underwater housing Serranidae Subclass Neopterygii Superorder Elopomorpha Taeniopaedia Teleost Teleostei United States Vertebrate Whitemouth Moray Eel biological biosphere chordate coopertive hunting grouper in situ introduced species invasive invasive species living marine life moray mutualism naturalworld nature organism scuba scuba diving underwater underwater photography underwaterphoto wild
Cooperative hunting
A Peacock Grouper (Cephalopis argus), an introduced fish species, and a Whitemouth Moray Eel (Gymnothorax meleagris) hunting cooperatively on the Kona coast, the Big Island, Hawaii, USA.
Actinopterygii Anguilliformes Animal Biology Cephalopholis argus Chordata Class Actinopterygii Ecology Elopocephalai Gymnothorax meleagris Hawaii Infraclass Teleostei Muraenidae Neopterygii Peacock Grouper Perciformes Percoidei Phylum Chordata Seacam underwater housing Serranidae Subclass Neopterygii Superorder Elopomorpha Taeniopaedia Teleost Teleostei United States Vertebrate Whitemouth Moray Eel biological biosphere chordate coopertive hunting grouper in situ introduced species invasive invasive species living marine life moray mutualism naturalworld nature organism scuba scuba diving underwater underwater photography underwaterphoto wild