Strengths and weaknesses in butterflyfish research: concluding remarks

Abstract

In the last decade we have witnessed a vast increase in the number of scientific publications dealing with the chaetodontid butterflyfishes. Initially this research was primarily centered on their ecology and behavior but more recently the interests have broadened, as exemplified by this symposium. The interest in the group may be due to their conspicuousness, intriguing social behavior, cicumtropical distribution, and the fact that they are one if not the most important fish predator on corals. With isolated groups of researchers scattered throughout the world interest was expressed in trying to get many of those involved together.