Diurnal Time-Activity Budgets Of Schoolmaster Snapper (Lutjanus Apodus) In South Water Caye Marine Reserve (Belize)

Diurnal time-activity budgets from a sample of 588 schoolmaster snapper (Lu^\u27anus apodus. Family Lutjanidae) were recorded over a period of two and a half weeks in the South Water Caye Marine Reserve (Belize) during May and June of 2010. Each fish was observed for a 20-second time period, and the amount of time they spent swimming, stationaiy (resting), foraging, and performing “other” (less common activities) behaviors was recorded. The specific objectives of my study were to: (1) quantitatively describe the behavior of schoolmaster with time-activity budgets, (2) assess differences in schoolmaster size distribution by location (habitat type), and (3) analyze differences in activity budgets within and among varying size classes. Lutjanus apodus spent significantly more time resting (54%) and swimming (44%), than foraging or performing “other” activities (e.g., aggression, and being cleaned). Foraging behavior was rarely observed during daylight observations, which corroborated previous investigations and local knowledge that this species feeds noctumally. Larger schoolmaster dominated reef habitats, whereas the smaller specimens favored shallow intertidal and mangrove habitats. There were significant differences spent in behaviors for all size classes, when size class was used as a criterion. L apodus spent significantly more time swimming during mornings than later in the day, and those observed in the shallowest habitats spent more time swimming than those in deeper habitats