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Ontogenetic Change In Novel Functions: Waterfall Climbing In Adult Hawaiian Gobiid Fishes, R Blob, K Wright, M Becker, T Maie, T Iverson, M Julius, H Schoenfuss

Megan Sheffield

Juveniles from three species of Hawaiian gobiid fishes climb waterfalls as part of an amphidromous life cycle, allowing them to re-penetrate adult upstream habitats after being swept out to the ocean upon hatching. The importance of climbing for juvenile stream gobies is well established, but adult fish in upstream island habitats also face potential downstream displacement by periodic disturbances. Thus, retention of climbing ability could be advantageous for adult stream gobies. Climbing performance might be expected to decline among adults, however, due to the tendency for mass-specific muscular power production to decrease with body size, and a lack of positively …