Pattern Variability among Populations of the Gobiid Fish Bathygobius soporator

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Abstract
Three populations of this common shallow water goby occur in the vicinity of Bimini Is., Brit. W. Indies. Two of these populations inhabit rock tide pools and the 3d lives along sandy beach areas. The coloration and pattern of this sp. is highly variable and undergoes rapid changes in response to environmental stimuli. The tide pool populations differ from the beach population in the pattern types displayed most frequently both in the field and under standardized laboratory conditions of light and background. These differences are maintained in mixed groups for periods of up to 2 weeks, and are also evident in the reactions of individuals to fright stimuli. The color behavior of these gobies is closely correlated with their habitat background. Such population differences reflect diversities in color-controlling mechanisms such as light receptors or hormonal and nervous factors. The above differences have originated either as conditioned responses, as a result of physical environmental effects, or from genetic processes. In the latter case, the variations probably would represent initial stages in the speciation process.

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