| The Seabass Family (Serranidae) varies greatly in size from the seven foot Goliath Grouper to the Candy Basslet which is only about 1 inch in length. Other members of the Seabass Family include Grouper, Soapfishes, Basslets and Hamlets. This article will focus on the Subfamily Hamlets (genus Hypoplectrus). |
| Hamlets are predatory perch-like fish that inhabit shallow coral reefs of the Western Atlantic and Caribbean waters. They closely resemble Damselfish in size and appearance, with an average size of three to four inches. Divers often confuse the Black Hamlet with the Dusky Damselfish. The best way to distinguish between the two species is to examine the profile. Damselfish have rounded heads while the head of the Hamlet is flat or concave shaped. Damselfish are herbivores while Hamlets are carnivores. Hamlets feed mostly on crustaceans such as shrimp and crabs and occasionally on small fish. |
| There was a long standing debate whether Hamlets were different species or simply variations of a single species with several distinctive color and marking variations. The American Fisheries Society now considers the common distinct color patterns to be different species. There are eleven different species of Hamlets: Butter, Barred, Indigo, Shy, Yellowbelly, Golden, Yellowtail, Black, Blue, Masked and Tan. While Hamlets may be typically somewhat wary, they can also be curious. After retreating a short distance, the Hamlet may approach the diver if he remains still. The Butter, Barred and Indigo Hamlets are the most common, while the Masked and Golden Hamlets are rarely sighted. |
| Hamlets have very unique mating habits. They are known as simultaneous hermaphrodites. This means that Hamlets can function as male or female. Hamlets will find a mating partner and mate with each other night after night, changing roles as the male or female. Hamlets have a single sexual organ that produces both eggs and sperm. When spawning, they will intertwine and fertilize their partner’s eggs. Unlike most pelagic spawning females that discharge all of the eggs in one spawn, these egg traders parcel out a few eggs at a time. This is done to ensure that their partners reciprocate by releasing their eggs, which they will then fertilize.
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| Scientific studies have shown that Hamlets prefer to mate with other Hamlets having the same color patterns and markings. On rare occasions when Hamlets are unable to find a mate of the same species, they will mate with other Hamlet species producing a mixed Hamlet species or Hybrid. Hybrids account for about three percent of the Hamlet population. |
