Schmale,-M.C.  Prevalence and distribution patterns of tumors 
	in bicolor damselfish (Pomacentrus partitus ) on South 
	Florida reefs.  MAR.-BIOL. 1991. vol. 109, no. 2, pp. 
	203-212.

Damselfish neurofibromatosis (DNF) is a cancer affecting 
bicolor dameselfish (Pomacentrus partitus ) on reefs in South 
Florida, USA. Bicolor damselfish exhibiting DNF were observed 
on 18 to 19 reefs surveyed, with prevalence rates varying 
from 0.4 to 23.8% of the adult fish in these populations. 
These rates were very stable over 5 to 9 yr periods (1981 to 
1989) on the two reefs monitored. High disease prevalence was 
associated with a high population density of large size-class 
fish and a population structure dominated by large fish. 
These patterns were observed both between and within reef 
populations. The distribution of cases within reefs was 
clustered rather than uniform or random. These findings are 
consistent with the hypothesis that DNF is distributed 
primarily via fish to fish (horizontal) transmission of an 
infectious agent.