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Reef and Shore Fishes of the South Pacific
... The genus Monotaxis is characterized by dorsal fin soft rays (10), anal fin soft rays (9), pectoral fin rays (14), lateral-line scale 44-47, inner surface of pectoral-fin base densely scaled and sides of jaws with round, flat molars (Shibuya et al., 2022). The Monotaxis genus is currently recognized with two valid species viz., Monotaxis grandoculis and Monotaxis heterodon (Randall, 2005;Zhao et al., 2021;Shibuya et al., 2022). M. heterodon was formerly considered as a junior synonym of M. grandoculis (Nakabo, 2002). ...
... M. heterodon was formerly considered as a junior synonym of M. grandoculis (Nakabo, 2002). Detailed study of both the species including morphological and genetic analysis showed that the distinguished species of M. grandoculis and M. heterodon as valid (Randall, 2005;Senou et al., 2007;Chen and Borsa, 2020;Zhao et al., 2021). Mitochondrial DNA, COI gene approach was employed to solve the identification problems on morphological similarity of M. heterodon at the genetic level (Zhao et al., 2021). ...
... The specimens were collected from by-catch of trawl net hauled at 30-50 m depth. The specimens were identified based on the taxonomic descriptions used by Randall (2005) and Shibuya et al. (2022). The counts and measurements method followed by Carpenter and Allen (1989), the measurements were made to the nearest (0.1 mm) using by digital Vernier calliper, weighted to the nearest (1 g) and morphometric measurements with percentages of standard length (SL) followed by photographs in fresh condition of the specimens. ...
... The emperor fish genus Monotaxis Anonymous [Bennett], 1830 is characterized by the following combination of characters: 10 dorsal-fin soft rays; 9 anal-fin soft rays; 14 pectoral-fin rays; 44-47 pored lateral-line scales; cheek covered with scales; inner surface of pectoral-fin base scaled; and molariform teeth on lateral aspect of lower jaw (Carpenter and Allen 1989; this study). The genus currently includes two valid species (Randall 2005;Fricke et al. 2021), Monotaxis grandoculis (Forsskål, 1775) and Monotaxis heterodon (Bleeker, 1854), although the latter has previously been regarded as a junior synonym of the former because of their similarity in overall body appearance (Carpenter and Allen 1989). ...
... During a taxonomic study on Monotaxis, 24 specimens (184.6-243.6 mm in standard length), collected from the Ryukyu Islands, southern Japan, were identified as M. heterodon. Although a widely distributed Indo-West Pacific species (Randall 2005;Yoshino 2008; Allen and Erdmann 2012;Fricke et al. 2014Fricke et al. , 2019Fricke et al. , 2021, specimen-based records of M. heterodon have not been reported from Japanese waters (previous Japanese records based only on photographs). In addition, a directed comparison of specimens of M. het-erodon with those of M. grandoculis (16 specimens, 161.4-244.2 ...
... Distribution. Widely known from the Indo-West Pacific: Seychelles east to southern Japan and New Caledonia (Sato 1997;Randall 2005;Yoshino 2008; Allen and Erdmann 2012; Fricke et al. 2014Fricke et al. , 2019Fricke et al. , 2021Zhao et al. 2021;Shimose 2021). In Japanese waters, specimen-based records are known only from Okinawa-jima island, Ryukyu Islands. ...
Twenty-four specimens (184.6–243.6 mm in standard length) of Monotaxis Anonymous [Bennett], 1830, collected from the Ryukyu Islands, southern Japan, were identified as M. heterodon (Bleeker, 1854) (Perciformes: Lethrinidae). Although a widely distributed Indo-West Pacific species, all previous records from Japanese waters have been based solely on photographs, the present specimens therefore representing the first specimen-based records of M. heterodon from Japan. A detailed comparison between M. heterodon and its only congener, M. grandoculis (Forsskål, 1775), from which it has previously been distinguished primarily by scale rows below the lateral line and fresh or live coloration, revealed new diagnostic characters, most of which are applicable to preserved specimens. In addition to previously recognized characters, the two species can be distinguished by mid-dorsal snout profile in adults (concave vs. straight), snout length (excluding lips) [8.9–11.1 (mean 9.9) % of SL vs. 10.3–12.1 (11.2) % SL], spinous anal-fin base length [4.6–5.9 (5.0) % of SL vs. 3.9–4.9 (4.4) % SL], a distinct black blotch above the pupil (absent vs. present), a dark brown stripe across the post interorbital region in preserved specimens (present vs. absent), and preserved coloration of the pectoral-fin base inner surface (blackish brown vs. light brown).
... Although Zeus gallus is a senior synonym of Zeus cilialis, Good and Bean (1885) was the last time the former was used as a valid name and has not been used as valid since 1900 as far as we know. On the other hand, Alectis ciliaris has been used as the presumed valid name by many authors over a long period of time (Smith-Vaniz et al. 1979, 1990Gushiken 1983Gushiken , 1984Gushiken , 1988Smith-Vaniz 1983, 1986, 1995, 1999, 2016Gloerfelt-Tarp and Kailola 1984;Laroche et al. 1984;Sainsbury et al. 1985;Kijima et al. 1986;Allen and Swainston 1988;Randall et al. 1990;Mok 1993;Allen 1997;Rao et al. 2000;Reed et al. 2001Reed et al. , 2002Senou 2002;Shao and Chen 2003;Rao 2004;Randall 2005;Hoese and Gates 2006;Springer and Smith-Vaniz 2008;Kimura 2009Kimura , 2011Kimura , 2013Kimura , 2017Kimura , 2018White et al. 2013;Santini and Carnevale 2014;Hata 2019). Because Art. ...
... Distribution. Indo-Pacific from the Red Sea and the estern coast of Africa to Samoa (Smith-Vaniz 1983, 1999Randall 2005). ...
... Accordingly, three nominal species, O. malabaricus, Caranx ciliaris and O. hedlandensis are the same species. The former two nominal species, however, have not been used as valid names since 1900 as far as we know, whereas the latter (as Carangoides hedlandensis) has been used as the presumed valid name by many authors over a long period of time (Smith-Vaniz et al. 1979;Williams et al. 1980;Gushiken 1983Gushiken , 1984Gushiken , 1988Smith-Vaniz 1983, 1986, 1999Gloerfelt-Tarp and Kailola 1984;Laroche et al. 1984;Sainsbury et al. 1985;Kijima et al. 1986;Allen and Swainston 1988;Randall et al. 1990;Mok 1993;Allen 1997;Rao et al. 2000;Senou 2002;Shao and Chen 2003;Rao 2004;Randall 2005;Hoese and Gates 2006;Satapoomin 2007;Springer and Smith-Vaniz 2008;Kimura 2009Kimura , 2011Kimura , 2013Kimura , 2017White et al. 2013;Santini and Carnevale 2014;Hata 2019). Because Art. ...
The carangid genus Carangoides Bleeker 1851 has been considered to include 19 valid species, although the genus has been shown to be paraphyletic with molecular-phylogenetic methods. In this account, the previous Carangoides and its related genera (Alectis Rafinesque 1815, Atropus Oken 1817, Parastromateus Bleeker 1864, Selene Lacepède 1802, Ulua Jordan and Snyder 1908, and Uraspis Bleeker 1855) are reorganized into 15 (including five new and four resurrected) genera based on both molecular-phylogenetic results and morphological analyses. The members of the previously recognised Alectis are split into two genera, Alectis [Alectis ciliaris (Bloch 1787)] and Scyris Cuvier 1829 [Scyris alexandrina (Geoffroy St. Hilaire 1817) and Scyris indica Rüppell 1830]. Two new genera, Euprepocaranx and Paraselene are established for Carangoides dorsalis Gill 1863 [= Carangoides otrynter (Jordan and Gilbert 1883)] and Selene orstedii Lütken 1880, respectively. The genus Selene is valid, including six species except for Selene orstedii. Atropus atropos (Bloch and Schneider 1801), two species of Ulua and two species previously known in Carangoides [Carangoides armatus (Forsskål in Niebuhr 1775) and Carangoides hedlandensis (Whitley 1934)] composed the newly redefined Atropus. Craterognathus and Flavocaranx are new monotypic genera, consisting of the previous species Carangoides plagiotaenia Bleeker 1857 and Carangoides bajad (Fabricius in Niebuhr 1775), respectively. Platycaranx is also a new genus comprising three species, previous Carangoides chrysophrys (Cuvier in Cuvier and Valenciennes 1833), Carangoides malabaricus (Bloch and Schneider 1801) and Carangoides talamparoides Bleeker 1852. Resurrected genera, Carangichthys Bleeker 1853, Ferdauia Jordan, Evermann and Wakiya in Jordan, Evermann and Tanaka 1927, and Turrum Whitley 1932 are composed of a few species previously assigned to Carangoides: Carangoides dinema Bleeker 1851, Carangoides humerosus (McCulloch 1915) and Carangoides oblongus (Cuvier in Cuvier and Valenciennes 1833); Carangoides ferdau (Fabricius in Niebuhr 1775) and Carangoides orthogrammus (Jordan and Gilbert 1882); and Carangoides coeruleopinnatus (Rüppell 1830), Carangoides fulvoguttatus (Forsskål in Niebuhr 1775) and Carangoides gymnostethus (Cuvier in Cuvier and Valenciennes 1833), respectively. Parastromateus and Uraspis continue to be valid genera, including Parastromateus niger (Bloch 1795), and Uraspis helvola (Forster in Bloch and Schneider 1801) and Uraspis uraspis (Günther 1860), respectively. The revised Carangoides consists of only two species, resurrected Carangoides ire (Cuvier in Cuvier and Valenciennes 1833) and Carangoides praeustus (Anonymous [Bennett] 1830). Diagnosis and brief description are provided for each genus.
... There are some controversies on the taxonomy of Monotaxis heterodon (Bleeker, 1854), some authorities (Carpenter and Allen 1989;Nakabo 2002) indicated that it was a junior synonym of Monotaxis grandoculis (Forsskål, 1775), while others confirmed that the two species can be completely distinguished (Randall 2005;Senou et al. 2007;Chen and Borsa 2020). ...
... A total of 4 individuals of Monotaxis heterodon were collected from the lagoon waters of Mischief Reef (09°54′29′′N, 115°32′05′′E). All collected specimens were identified based on morphological characteristics used by Randall (2005). ...
... Body oblong and compressed laterally; eye very large; The operculum, cheek, and inner surface of pectoral fin base covered with scales; 5 rows of scales between lateral line and base of middle dorsal spines; greenish-gray dorsally, shading to silvery white ventrally. All color descriptions are in accordance with Randall (2005). All the sequences have been deposited in GenBank. ...
Monotaxis heterodon (Bleeker, 1854) is widespread in the Indo-Pacific Ocean, however, it was reported that Monotaxis grandoculis (Forsskål, 1775) was the single species of Monotaxis in this area. We collected four M. heterodon specimens from the lagoon waters of Mischief Reef in South China Sea. A morphometric study was taken to confirm the occurrence of M. heterodon in the seawaters of the South China Sea and thoroughly separate them from M. grandoculis . In addition, DNA barcoding was taken for the classification of specimens. The mean genetic distance within M. heterodon group was 0.24 percentage points, group mean distance between M. heterodon and M. grandoculis was 8.71 percentage points. The phylogenetic analysis confirmed the existence of M. heterodon in the lagoon waters of the South China Sea. This study will contribute to species identification within this genus distributed in the South China Sea.
... There are some controversies on the taxonomy of Monotaxis heterodon (Bleeker, 1854), some authorities (Carpenter and Allen 1989;Nakabo 2002) indicated that it was a junior synonym of Monotaxis grandoculis (Forsskål, 1775), while others confirmed that the two species can be completely distinguished (Randall 2005;Senou et al. 2007;Chen and Borsa 2020). ...
... A total of 4 individuals of Monotaxis heterodon were collected from the lagoon waters of Mischief Reef (09°54′29′′N, 115°32′05′′E). All collected specimens were identified based on morphological characteristics used by Randall (2005). ...
... Body oblong and compressed laterally; eye very large; The operculum, cheek, and inner surface of pectoral fin base covered with scales; 5 rows of scales between lateral line and base of middle dorsal spines; greenish-gray dorsally, shading to silvery white ventrally. All color descriptions are in accordance with Randall (2005). All the sequences have been deposited in GenBank. ...
Monotaxis heterodon (Bleeker, 1854) is widespread in the Indo-Pacific Ocean, however, it was reported that Monotaxis grandoculis (Forsskål, 1775) was the single species of Monotaxis in this area. We collected four M. heterodon specimens from the lagoon waters of Mischief Reef in South China Sea. A morphometric study was taken to confirm the occurrence of M. heterodon in the seawaters of the South China Sea and thoroughly separate them from M. grandoculis . In addition, DNA barcoding was taken for the classification of specimens. The mean genetic distance within M. heterodon group was 0.24 percentage points, group mean distance between M. heterodon and M. grandoculis was 8.71 percentage points. The phylogenetic analysis confirmed the existence of M. heterodon in the lagoon waters of the South China Sea. This study will contribute to species identification within this genus distributed in the South China Sea.
... Species of this group possess XII dorsal-fin spines, as seen in much of Chrominae, though C. ternatensis sometimes has XIII . These four species appear to share the presence of three spiniform procurrent caudal rays on both upper and lower margins of the caudal-fin base Randall, 1994Randall, , 2005Yoshigou, 2017), a condition which is also widely seen in the subgenus Chromis (see below). However, Allen and Randall (1981) reported only two for C. ternatensis and C. viridis (as C. caerulea). ...
... 2b, S6). Resolving a sister-group relation between C. atripectoralis and C. viridis corroborates earlier studies (Quenouille et al., 2004;Cooper et al., 2009;Steinke et al., 2009;Cowman and Bellwood, 2011;Hubert et al., 2012Hubert et al., , 2017Litsios et al., 2012aLitsios et al., , 2012bFrédérich et al., 2013;Rabosky et al., 2013Rabosky et al., , 2018Lobato et al., 2014;DiBattista et al., 2016;Mirande, 2016;Gaboriau et al., 2018;Delrieu-Trottin et al., 2019) and a close association described in the literature (Allen, 1975a(Allen, , 1991Randall et al., 1981Randall et al., , 1997Myers, 1999;Randall, 2005;Allen and Erdmann, 2012), one that dates back to the original description of C. atripectoralis by Welander and Schultz (1951), who separated it from C. viridis (as C. caerulea). Randall (1994) described C. flavaxilla from what had been previously considered the Arabian population of C. ternatensis. ...
... Azurina intercrusma Chromis intercrusma XII dorsal-fin spines; eastern Pacific Ocean distribution; 2 exposed spiniform procurrent caudal-fin rays (Greenfield and Woods, 1980); tree-based BOLD searches recover this species in a group with A. atrilobata, A. hirundo, and A. multilineata; see Discussion Azurina meridiana Chromis meridiana Eastern Pacific Ocean distribution; 2 exposed spiniform procurrent caudal-fin rays (Greenfield and Woods, 1980); see Discussion Chromis athena Chromis athena XIII dorsal spines; few (13-14) tubed lateral line scales; 3 exposed spiniform procurrent caudal-fin rays; similar to C. monochroma (Allen and Randall, 2004a; Allen and Erdmann, 2008a) Chromis axillaris Chromis axillaris XIV dorsal spines; western Indian Ocean distribution; part of deep-dwelling complex (Allen and Erdmann, 2009a); similar to C. pelloura and C. woodsi (Randall and Allen, 1982) chromis, and C. limbata (Wood, 1977;Edwards, 1986); tree-based BOLD searches recover this species in a group with C. cadenati, C. chromis, and C. limbata; see Discussion Chromis monochroma Chromis monochroma XIII-XIV dorsal spines; few (14-15) tubed lateral line scales; three exposed spiniform procurrent caudal-fin rays; similar to C. alpha (Allen and Randall, 2004a; Allen and Erdmann, 2008a) Chromis nigroanalis Chromis nigroanalis XIII dorsal spines; similar to C. alpha (Randall, 1988a;Allen, 1991;Myers, 1999;Randall, 2005;Pyle et al., 2008; Allen and Erdmann, 2012) Chromis onumai Chromis onumai XIV dorsal spines; similar to C. albomaculata and C. verater (Senou and Kudo, 2007) or C. mirationis (Pyle et al., 2008) ...
... Stable and sympatric color morphs have been documented in three of the six species in the genus Paracirrhites (P. forsteri, P. arcatus, and P. hemistictus) (Randall, 2005;Whitney, Donahue, & Karl, 2018). The two non-sex-linked color morphs of P. arcatus show a strong correlation between phenotype and environment on Hawaiian reefs (Whitney, Donahue, et al., 2018), as well as significant divergence at microsatellite loci and a gene associated with coloration (Whitney, Bowen, et al., 2018). ...
... Paracirrhites forsteri (Bloch & Schneider, 1801) is unique among hawkfishes in that it displays at least four color morphs (vs. two morphs in P. arcatus and P. hemistictus) whose relationship to sex and ontogeny remains unresolved (Coker, Chaidez, & Berumen, 2017;Donaldson, 1990;Myers, 1989;Randall, 1963Randall, , 2005. The color morphs vary in abundance throughout the Indo-West Pacific, in some cases exhibit geographic variation, are indistinguishable based on meristic characters (Myers, 1989;Randall, 2005), and sometimes display intermediate coloration. ...
... two morphs in P. arcatus and P. hemistictus) whose relationship to sex and ontogeny remains unresolved (Coker, Chaidez, & Berumen, 2017;Donaldson, 1990;Myers, 1989;Randall, 1963Randall, , 2005. The color morphs vary in abundance throughout the Indo-West Pacific, in some cases exhibit geographic variation, are indistinguishable based on meristic characters (Myers, 1989;Randall, 2005), and sometimes display intermediate coloration. ...
Non-sex-linked color polymorphism is common in animals and can be maintained in populations via balancing selection or, when under diversifying selection, can pro-mote divergence. Despite their potential importance in ecological interactions and the evolution of biodiversity, their function and the mechanisms by which these polymorphisms are maintained are still poorly understood. Here, we combine field observations with life history and molecular data to compare four sympatric color morphs of the coral reef fish Paracirrhites forsteri (family Cirrhitidae) in the central Red Sea. Our findings verify that the color morphs are not sex-limited, inhabit the same reefs, and do not show clear signs of avoidance or aggression among them. A barcoding approach based on 1,276 bp of mitochondrial DNA could not differentiate the color morphs. However, when 36,769 SNPs were considered, we found low but sig-nificant population structure. Focusing on 1,121 FST outliers, we recovered distinct population clusters that corresponded to shifts in allele frequencies with each color morph harboring unique alleles. Genetic divergence at these outlier loci is accom-panied by differences in growth and marginal variation in microhabitat preference. Together, life history and molecular analysis suggest subtle divergence between the color morphs in this population, the causes for which remain elusive.
... In a similar way, there are "faces" adorning tropical caterpillars and pupae that appear to be eyes of a predator ( In other examples, the predator mimics the prey of its prey, which characterizes aggressive mimicry (Wickler 1965(Wickler , 1968, also known as "Peckhamian mimicry" (Peckham 1889; Peckham and Peckham 1892). This theory is used to depict an animal or a part thereof that enables a predator to get closer to its prey or to attract it to within a striking range (Randall 2005;Calleia et al. 2009). ...
... We assume that the amount of prey tends to be inversely proportional to prey size (Pyke 2019). For small cats, it would be advantageous if they could attract small-sized prey as a lure (Randall 2005;Calleia et al. 2009), enabling them to capture it by ambushing (Ewer 1973;Leyhausen 1979). This phenomenon aligns with the concept of aggressive mimicry or Peckhamian mimicry (Wickler 1965(Wickler , 1968; Peckham 1889; Peckham and Peckham 1892). ...
Felids have evolved different hunting strategies depending on the prey they want to capture. The ambush by “sit and wait” is most effective when the amount or size of prey outweighs the cost of energy spent during waiting time, being advantageous for small cats if they could attract an animal or smaller predators for a lure. The ‘silhouettes’ of prey on the face of felids have been observed in 25 of the 40 species on average and may be associated only with our (human) perception. However, if this is not only a case of ‘facial pareidolia’, these ‘silhouettes’ could be associated with aggressive mimicry. To evaluate this hypothesis, we assembled a species-level data set of biological and ecological characteristics that could be associated with ‘silhouettes’ on the face of felids and combined these data with a dated molecular phylogeny. Next, we tested the association between ‘silhouettes’ and biological and ecological characteristics using a Bayesian implementation of the threshold model. Our results point out that 'silhouettes' on the face of felids are associated with small prey size and small body mass of predators. Taken together, these findings bring a new perspective to ecological, behavioral, and evolutionary studies of predator-prey relationships.
... Fishes of the tribe Pteroini (sensu Nelson et al., 2016), commonly known as lionfishes or turkeyfishes, are eye-catching with elongated fins and warning coloration (Randall, 2005a;Randall, 2005b). This fish group is well known for their venomous glands on the dorsal, anal, and pelvic fin spines (Allen and Eschmeyer, 1973), which are toxic and cause serious pain (Masuda et al., 1986;Randall, 2005a). ...
... Fishes of the tribe Pteroini (sensu Nelson et al., 2016), commonly known as lionfishes or turkeyfishes, are eye-catching with elongated fins and warning coloration (Randall, 2005a;Randall, 2005b). This fish group is well known for their venomous glands on the dorsal, anal, and pelvic fin spines (Allen and Eschmeyer, 1973), which are toxic and cause serious pain (Masuda et al., 1986;Randall, 2005a). Lionfishes are distributed throughout the tropical Indo-West Pacific region (Kochzius et al., 2003;Allen and Erdmann, 2008), and some species of Pterois were introduced to invaded waters through the aquarium trade, including Pterois volitans and Pterois miles in the Western Atlantic Ocean (Schofield, 2009;Schofield, 2010;Johnston and Purkis, 2011) and Pterois miles in the Mediterranean Sea (Bariche et al., 2013;Kletou et al., 2016). ...
Lionfishes (tribe Pteroini) are eye-catching due to their distinct elongated fins and warning coloration. The monophyly of the Pteroini is supported by recent phylogenetic analyses. However, the interrelationships between inter- and intra-genera of the Pteroini are contentious. In this study, 5,335 bps of two mitochondrial and five nuclear genes were sequenced to reconstruct the phylogeny of lionfishes. Our analyses showed Dendrochirus and Pterois were both not monophyletic and divided into Dendrochirus I, II, and III clades (D. I, II, and III) and Pterois I and II clades (Pt. I and II), respectively. Pt. I was sister to the Pt. II + D. I clades. D. II was the sister group of the Ebosia + Parapterois clade. The D. III clade was at the base of the Pteroini, followed by the genus Brachypterois. Morphologically, we provided combinations of characters to distinguish all clades. According to the molecular and morphological data, we propose a revised taxonomy of the Pteroini. D. I and Pt. I hold the generic names of Dendrochirus and Pterois, respectively. Neochirus gen. n. is proposed as a new genus for the D. II clade. The genera Pteropterus Swainson, 1839 and Nemapterois Fowler, 1938 are revalidated for Pt. II and D. III, respectively.
... The 88 species identified during sampling were plotted on a species accumulation curve, and the total species richness of the assemblage was extrapolated using three estimation indices Common names follow Randall, 2005. Frontiers in Marine Science | www.frontiersin.org ...
... Common names followRandall (2005). ...
Working Towards a Blue Future: Promoting Sustainability, Environmental Protection and Marine Management: Examples from the UK Government Blue Belt Programme and Current International Initiatives
... According to Carpenter & Allen (1989), the color of M. grandoculis can change rapidly in high-contrast environments and when they are threatened. More recently, Randall (2005) described two species within Monotaxis based on morphology: M. grandoculis and M. heterodon, and the two species have been reported multiple times in the Indo West Pacific since then (Senou et al., 2007;Martin et al., 2019;Fig. 2. 2a. ...
... Chen and Borsa, 2020). Morphologically, the two species are very similar and differ by only a few characters, such as the width of their white bands, the color of their lips and the presence of one extra transversal scale row in M. grandoculis compared to M. heterodon (Randall, 2005). In the present study we recovered COI sequences for both species; M. grandoculis specimens from Pohnpei and M. heterodon specimens from Yap. ...
Island communities that rely on reef fish are currently faced with declining marine resources due to unsustainable fishing and climate change. Identification of genetic stocks through phylogeographic analyses has become a growing field of study with conservation implications, but genetic information on reef fish in Micronesia is limited. In this study we focus on Lethrinidae, one the most commonly fished reef fish family in Micronesia. Our main goal was to establish a phylogeny for Lethrinidae based on Micronesian data with the intend to help future conservation efforts and clarify the evolutionary history of trophic types in this family. Thirty-eight Lethrinidae specimens collected across five Micronesian islands were used to build a phylogeny with three mitochondrial and one nuclear gene. The phylogenetic analyses allowed us to clarify the position of 11 commonly harvested species and provided a novel genetic identification for Monotaxis heterodon in Micronesia. Our improved and dated phylogeny supports a new hypothesis for the ancestral trophic type of Emperor fishes: "stalkers" with low-bodies and conical teeth. We correlated the radiation of most Lethrinidae species with the radiation of major scleractinian coral lineages in the middle Miocene, highlighting the tight relationships between declining reefs and the survival of emperor fishes.
... Among coral reef organisms, coral reef fishes represent the most diverse and widely distributed group of vertebrates on the planet (Nelson, Grande, & Wilson, 2016). Their geographical distribution is uneven; in particular, endemism hotspots (i.e., regions hosting high proportions of species with geographically restricted distributions) are found along the periphery of the Indo-Australian Archipelago (Allen, 2008;Bellwood & Wainwright, 2002;Delrieu-Trottin et al., 2015;Eschmeyer, Fricke, Fong, & Polack, 2010;Gaboriau, Leprieur, Mouillot, & Hubert, 2018;Hughes, Bellwood, & Connolly, 2002;Randall, 2005Randall, , 2007Randall & Cea, 2011). As such, a series of questions remain unanswered regarding the mechanisms enabling the coexistence of hundreds of species locally and the existence of large diversity gradients in the Indo-Pacific (Allen & Erdmann, 2012). ...
... Populations of large-range endemics sampled around Rapa Nui could potentially operate at a regional scale. Nui (Friedlander et al., 2013), yet they are rare throughout the rest of their distribution (Randall, 2005). Assessing the amount of gene flow between Rapa Nui populations with those of Pitcairn or Austral ...
Elucidating demographic history during the settlement of ecological communities is crucial for properly inferring the mechanisms that shape patterns of species diversity and their persistence through time. Here, we used genomic data and coalescent‐based approaches to elucidate for the first time the demographic dynamics associated with the settlement by endemic reef fish fauna of one of the most remote peripheral islands of the Pacific Ocean, Rapa Nui (Easter Island). We compared the demographic history of nine endemic species in order to explore their demographic responses to Pleistocene climatic fluctuations. We found that Rapa Nui endemic species share a common demographic history as signatures of population expansions were retrieved for almost all of the species studied here, and synchronous demographic expansions initiated during the last glacial period were recovered for more than half of the studied species. These results suggest that eustatic fluctuations associated with Milankovitch cycles have played a central role in species demographic histories and in the final stage of the community assembly of many Rapa Nui reef fishes. Specifically, sea level low stands resulted in the maximum reef habitat extension for Rapa Nui endemic species; we discuss the potential role of seamounts in allowing endemic species to cope with Pleistocene climatic fluctuations, and we highlight the importance of local historical processes over regional ones. Overall, our results shed light on the mechanisms by which endemism arises and is maintained in peripheral reef fish fauna.
... The pioneer work of Sale (1968Sale ( , 1969 focused on the selection of a habitat by A. triostegus juveniles with respect to parameters such as individual juvenile size, fish communities, water depth, and substrate type. The numerous works that have followed, based on the capture of developing larvae on the reef crest, have addressed multiple questions such as the pelagic larval dispersal duration, based on otoliths analysis (McCormick 1999, Longenecker et al. 2008, Randall 2005b, the variation in the timing and duration of metamorphosis and the associated physiological changes (McCormick 1999) and diet shifts and body shape variation associated with settlement (Frédérich et al. 2012). Recent works examine the variations in the morphological, physiological, and behavioral changes during A. triostegus settlement in different types of natural habitats, and under environmental conditions disturbed by anthropogenic stresses Besson 2017, Besson et al. 2020, Reynaud et al. in press). ...
A large majority of coral reef fish species have a biphasic life cycle, which starts with a planktonic larval phase in the open ocean followed by larval recruitment within the reef, with a subsequent development to the juvenile and adult stage. This ecological transition is associated with profound morphological, physiological, and behavioral changes referred to as metamorphosis. From hatching to the juvenile stage, the larva develops through several stages critical to its survival, including orientation across the vast ocean to reach a reef, and settle into a suitable habitat. This chapter describes how coral reef fishes can be used as model systems to understand marine larval recruitment as controlled by various environmental factors. Here is reviewed i) the life cycle of fish, with a focus on the thyroid hormone-controlled metamorphosis and how environmental changes are involved in internal physiological modifications, ii) how coral reef fishes can be studied in the laboratory and in their natural habitats to answer questions about larval recruitment, iii) which salient questions are being examined by researchers to tackle the links between fish recruitment, physiological development, hormonal changes, environmental variations, and ecological changes. Lastly, this chapter discusses how future technological developments improve our understanding of these key steps of coral reef fish life cycle.
... The colors of the majority of Holocentridae are either red or silver [6]. Members of the Holocentrinae subfamily (squirrelfish) possess venomous spines near the gill opening, which can inflict painful wounds [7]. Regarding feeding habits, squirrelfish mainly feed on small fish and benthic invertebrates, while soldierfish typically feed on zooplankton [8]. ...
Simple Summary
Mitochondria play a critical role in the energy metabolism of coral reef fish, providing ATP to fuel cellular processes. A mitogenome study has been employed to investigate the genetic diversity, population structure, and evolutionary relationships among coral reef fish taxa. Species of the Holocentridae family play important ecological roles in coral reef communities. Two subfamilies of this family, Holocentrinae and Myripristinae, exhibit similarities in morphology and distribution, with minor differences in habitation and feeding behavior. Here, we present full mitochondrial genome sequences of eight holocentrid species and report the results of a comparative analysis with six previously published species. The results indicate that these mitogenome structures are relatively conserved, except for the high variability in control regions. The whole genomes, except for nad6, exhibited positive AT-skews and negative GC-skews. Furthermore, we compared the two subfamilies to explore the reasons behind their varying inhabitation and behavior. Phylogenetic analysis indicated all species formed two subfamilies, the Holocentrinae and Myripristinae, with each subfamily comprising two genera. Positive selection analysis revealed that all protein-coding genes (PCGs) were subjected to purifying selection. The data obtained from our study could serve as a valuable resource for future investigations on the evolution and conservation of holocentrid fish.
Abstract
To understand the molecular mechanisms and adaptive strategies of holocentrid fish, we sequenced the mitogenome of eight species within the family Holocentridae and compared them with six other holocentrid species. The mitogenomes were found to be 16,507–16,639 bp in length and to encode 37 typical mitochondrial genes, including 13 PCGs, two ribosomal RNAs, and 22 transfer RNA genes. Structurally, the gene arrangement, base composition, codon usage, tRNA size, and putative secondary structures were comparable between species. Of the 13 PCGs, nad6 was the most specific gene that exhibited negative AT-skews and positive GC-skews. Most of the genes begin with the standard codon ATG, except cox1, which begins with the codon GTG. By examining their phylogeny, Sargocentron and Neoniphon were verified to be closely related and to belong to the same subfamily Holocentrinae, while Myripristis and Ostichthys belong to the other subfamily Myripristinae. The subfamilies were clearly distinguished by high-confidence-supported clades, which provide evidence to explain the differences in morphology and feeding habits between the two subfamilies. Selection pressure analysis indicated that all PCGs were subject to purifying selection. Overall, our study provides valuable insight into the habiting behavior, evolution, and ecological roles of these important marine fish.
... Both species have long and thin spines, which are much longer (up to 260 mm) in D. setosum than in E. calamaris (up to 112 mm; Coppard and Campbell 2004a). At least 34 fish species are known to associate with D. setsoum (Eibl-Eibesfeldt 1961, Magnus 1964, 1967Kolm 2002;Randall 2005;Coppard and Campbell 2004b;Pegg et al. 2012;Gould et al. 2014Gould et al. , 2016Bileceno glua et al. 2019;Moore et al. 2019;Çiçek et al. 2020, Bileceno glua andYokeş 2022;Cagiltay et al. 2022;Tambunan et al. 2022). In contrast, only seven fish species are known to associate with shorter-spined E. calamaris (Coppard and Campbell 2004b;Gould et al. 2014Gould et al. , 2016Moore et al. 2019). ...
... Maximum length: 16.0 cm SL (Randall 2005). ...
... All species were identified using identification keys and taxonomic references (Allen et al., 2003;Kuiter and Tonozuka, 2004;Randall, 2005;Motomura et al., 2017;Gonzales, 2018). We determined the updated species nomenclature (i.e., family, genus and species) and species distribution using Eschmeyer's Catalog of Fishes (Fricke et al., 2022), while we used the phylogenetic classification for bony fishes by Betancur-R et al. (2017) for higher taxonomic classification (i.e., class and order). ...
The Palawan archipelago is considered as the Philippines’ last ecological frontier, a Man and Biosphere Reserve, and a priority conservation area because of its high marine biodiversity. However, a comprehensive checklist of current marine fishes occurring in the province that can be used for diversity conservation priorities is still lacking. This paper aims to present an updated checklist of marine fishes recorded in Palawan waters (including new records) and their current conservation status. Underwater visual census (UVC) surveys (2003 – 2021), and published literature from 156 sites were used to compile the checklist, and the species’ updated nomenclatures were also presented. Currently, 1,056 marine fishes (32 elasmobranchs, 1,024 bony fishes) are included in the list, classified under two classes, 42 orders, 115 families, and 366 genera. More species were recorded in the Sulu Sea (904) than in the West Philippine Sea (557) which could be attributed to more studies being conducted in the former than in the latter. We also included 299 newly recorded species in this province, mostly from UVC surveys. Most of the species have Least Concern and Not Evaluated IUCN status, but a few species are already threatened, comprised mostly of elasmobranchs. Necessary information from this checklist is crucial in crafting a management plan for the protection and conservation of marine fishes in Palawan and nearby areas, especially those that are already declared as threatened species.
... Nonetheless, spawning occurs throughout the year and is likely to be highly variable across the Hawaiian Islands. The pelagic larval duration (PLD) is estimated to range from 54 days (Longenecker et al., 2008) to c. 77 days (Randall, 2005), a longer interval than most surgeonfishes (Eble et al., 2009;Leis & McCormick, 2002 Figure 1). Individuals <121 mm, aged c. 6 months, were classified as juveniles (i.e., reproductively immature) based on the average size at maturity for males and females (Longenecker et al., 2008;Randall, 1961;Schemmel & Friedlander, 2017). ...
The gap between spawning and settlement location of marine fishes, where the larvae occupy an oceanic phase, is a great mystery in both natural history and conservation. Recent genomic approaches provide some resolution, especially in linking parent to offspring with assays of nucleotide polymorphisms. Here, the authors applied this method to the endemic Hawaiian convict tang (Acanthurus triostegus sandvicensis), a surgeonfish with a long pelagic larval stage of c. 54–77 days. They collected 606 adults and 607 juveniles from 23 locations around the island of Oʻahu, Hawaiʻi. Based on 399 single nucleotide polymorphisms, the authors assigned 68 of these juveniles back to a parent (11.2% assignment rate). Each side of the island showed significant population differentiation, with higher levels in the west and north. The west and north sides of the island also had little evidence of recruitment, which may be due to westerly currents in the region or an artefact of uneven sampling. In contrast, the majority of juveniles (94%) sampled along the eastern shore originated on that side of the island, primarily within semi‐enclosed Kāneʻohe Bay. Nearly half of the juveniles assigned to parents were found in the southern part of Kāneʻohe Bay, with local settlement likely facilitated by extended water residence time. Several instances of self‐recruitment, when juveniles return to their natal location, were observed along the eastern and southern shores. Cumulatively, these findings indicate that most dispersal is between adjacent regions on the eastern and southern shores. Regional management efforts for Acanthurus triostegus and possibly other reef fishes will be effective only with collaboration among adjacent coastal communities, consistent with the traditional moku system of native Hawaiian resource management.
... We identified and counted all reef fish in each transect line at both bays based on several fish identification books [28,29]. Each fish species was categorized into one of seven trophic-functional groups based on diet and habitat use (i.e., carnivore, corallivore, herbivore, invertebrate consumer, omnivore, piscivore, and planktivore [30][31][32][33] (Figure 2). In this study, we used the same three permanent transect lines at Patok Bay, and four permanent transect lines at Khonkae Bay to monitor changes in the percent of live coral cover with the permanent quadrat method. ...
This study investigated coral and reef fish recovery following the COVID-19 event between low and high environmental disturbance reefs at Racha Yai Island, Southern Thailand. Three and four 50-m permanent line transects were set at low and high environmental reefs to collect the percent of live coral cover, fish diversity and abundance, and fish trophic-functional groups based on diet and habitat use. Our results showed a significant rise in the percentage of live coral cover, the number of individual fish, the number of fish species, and species richness at both bays following the COVID-19 lockdown due to a crucial reduction in human activities on the reef. In addition, there were increases in the number of corallivore fishes belonging to Chaetodontidae and Pomacentridae families and a reduction of omnivorous fish at the fish-feeding tourist attraction reefs due during the COVID-19 lockdown due to reducing fish-feeding tourism. This indicated that restricted human activities and reduced anthropogenic stress on a coral reef may have substantial short-term impacts on reef fish diversity. Our insights could help designate guidelines to manage tourist impacts on coral reefs and aid in their prolonged persistence. Doi: 10.28991/CEJ-2022-08-11-011 Full Text: PDF
... in the western half of the South Pacific Ocean (WSP) (Randall, 1998) it is a unique subtropical gyre 86 region that has a wide range of large and small oceanic islands and coral reef atolls that provide 87 habitats to marine fishes, marine eels, as well as anguillid eels in freshwater habitats (Jellyman, 2003; 88 Randall, 2005 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 3 Great Barrier Reef (Wachenfeld et al., 1998;Pitcher et al., 2007;Ceccarelli et al., 2013), where 108 leptocephali are also present (Miller et al., 2021b). 109 ...
Although juvenile anguillid eels live in freshwater/estuarine habitats, and marine eels live in diverse ocean environments ranging from shallow-to-deep continental shelf areas and around islands to deep-benthic habitats and deeper meso- and bathy- pelagic zones, the larvae (leptocephali) of all species mix together in the ocean surface layer. All types of eel habitats are present in the western South Pacific (WSP), so it is a unique region for studying long-lived leptocephali, especially because the westward flowing South Equatorial Current (SEC) and several countercurrents pass through many different WSP island groups and deep waters where both anguillid and marine eels live and spawn. Large mouth-opening IKMT sampling surveys for leptocephali were conducted in the southwest Pacific extending to French Polynesia in Jan-Mar 2013 (99 tows, 78 stations, 1052 larvae) and Jul-Sept 2016 (187 tows, 111 stations, 3976 larvae) that collected about 152 species of 18 anguilliform and elopomorph families. The larvae of mesopelagic serrivomerid eels were the most abundant taxa in all oceanic areas, and they were particularly abundant at northern SEC or equatorial latitudes. Australian and New Zealand anguillid eels had spawned in the western SEC areas, as previously detected, and the larvae of tropical anguillids were also only caught in western areas. The larvae of the mesopelagic nemichthyid and derichthyid eels were also widely distributed at lower abundances and with more patchy distributions, but larvae of Eurypharyngidae, Cyematidae, and Mongnathidae were rare. Shallow-water eel larvae were most abundant west of New Caledonia near the banks of the Chesterfield Islands, or near other island-groups, but they were rare in the 2 easternmost 2016 transects passing by both sides of Tahiti. Some conger eels were suggested to have spawned in offshore areas in the western region. Congrid Ariosoma and various shallow-water or slope eels had spawned in the region near the Chesterfield Islands or near New Caledonia where current jets can transport larvae westward, and eastward countercurrents exist. Some taxa of larvae of coastal species (muraenesocids, and elopomorphs) were extremely rare, all non-mesopelagic eel larvae were rare in the far-eastern transects, but the New Caledonia region with large shelf areas appears to be a high biodiversity region for marine eels, as it is for reef/shore fish in general.
... Data were transformed into presence/absence and non-parametric multivariate analyses were employed to counter the sampling limitations and data deficiencies. Fish species were divided into two life stages (juvenile, adult) using 50% of the maximum published size (Randall, 2005(Randall, , 2007 Froese and Pauly, 2014) 1 as the threshold value between juvenile and adult (Binohlan and Froese, 2009;Froese and Pauly, 2014; see text footnote 1). This produced a primary matrix of 180 specieslife stages and 52 surveys. ...
Mesophotic reefs (30–150 m) occur in the tropics and subtropics at depths beyond most scientific diving, thereby making conventional surveys challenging. Towed cameras, submersibles, and mixed-gas divers were used to survey the mesophotic reef fish assemblages and benthic substrates of the Au‘au Channel, between the Hawaiian Islands of Maui and Lāna‘i. Non-parametric multivariate analysis: Non-metric Multidimensional Scaling (NMDS), Hierarchical Cluster Analysis (HCA), Multi-Response Permutation Procedure (MRPP), and Indicator Species Analysis (ISA) were used to determine the association of mesophotic reef fish species with benthic substrates and depth. Between 53 and 115-m depths, 82 species and 10 genera of fish were observed together with 10 types of benthic substrate. Eight species of fish (Apolemichthys arcuatus, Centropyge potteri, Chaetodon kleinii, Chromis leucura, Chromis verater, Forcipiger sp., Naso hexacanthus, and Parupeneus multifasciatus) were positively associated with increasing depth, Leptoseris sp. coral cover, and hard-bottom cover, and one species (Oxycheilinus bimaculatus) of fish was positively associated with increasing Halimeda sp. algae cover. Fish assemblages associated with rubble were not significantly different from those associated with sand, Montipora coral beds and Leptoseris coral beds, but were distinct from fish assemblages associated with hard bottom. The patterns in the data suggested two depth assemblages, one “upper mesophotic” between 53 and 95 m and the other deeper, possibly part of a “lower mesophotic” assemblage between 96 and 115 m at the edge of the rariphotic and bottomfish complex.
... One proposed reason for lionfish being successful hunters in their invasive range is that they display a rather unique combination of adaptations to hunting that Caribbean prey had not encountered before. Lionfish show striped coloration for crypsis [20], slow movement to avoid prey flight responses [21][22][23][24] and they blow water towards prey to make it orient against the resulting current and hence towards its predator [20]. The hypothesized cooperative hunting with active recruitment of partners based on the study of zebra lionfish [12,15] would hence add to an already fearsome list of features. ...
Lionfish are common piscivores in the Indo-Pacific and invasive in the Caribbean. A fin flaring pattern, involving a rapid undulation of the caudal fin and sequential turning of both pectoral fins, was described in zebra lionfish as a signal to initiate cooperative hunting, and it was hypothesized that such hunting tactics may also exist in other lionfish species and contribute to their successful invasion in the Caribbean. Here, we investigated one of those invasive species, Pterois miles , in its natural range in the Red Sea. We did not observe evidence for cooperative hunting in the field. We complemented field observations with a laboratory experiment aimed at inducing subjects to recruit partners for cooperative hunts, exposing subjects to inaccessible prey in transparent housing as well as to a potential partner. We regularly observed the fin flaring pattern, but importantly, it was not directed at the partner. Thus, rather than being a signal, the fin flaring movement pattern seems to be a swimming mode in a confined environment. Furthermore, the two lionfish did not aggregate at the prey housing, reinforcing the field results that this species in the Red Sea does not depend on cooperation to hunt fish.
... Rearing of aquarium fish in captivity can help production of hardier species, which grow far better in captivity and survive longer (Ogawa and Brown, 2001;Olivier, 2003). Pomacentrid fishes (369 known species), which include clownfishes and damselfishes, are the most popular aquarium fishes inhabiting tropical and subtropical seas in Indo-Pacific regions (FAO, 2004;Randall, 2005;Fishbase, 2008). Clownfishes are very popular among aquarists due to their bright colour, interesting display behaviour and their ability to adapt to captive conditions (Wilkerson, 1998). ...
Broodstock development, breeding, spawning, larval rearing and growth of black Amphiprion ocellaris in captivity are described in this study. The black ocellaris, a magnificent colour morph of A. ocellaris was bred in captivity at Vizhinjam Research Centre of ICAR-Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (ICAR-CMFRI). Two adults, approximately 4-6 cm in total length (TL) were stocked in FRP tanks of 300 l capacity, under optimum water quality. The broodfishes were fed a combination of boiled mussel meat, boiled squid and semimoist feed (protein-40 %, lipid-9.5 %, fibre-2% and moisture-31%) twice daily at a rate of 3-5% of their body weight. After a period of 1.7 years, the fishes started showing courtship behaviour and initiated spawning. The oocytes were of 3-3.3 mm in length and 1.1-1.9 mm in width. Approximately 200-300 eggs spawned the first time and the number of eggs gradually increased in subsequent spawnings. Spawning was obtained at an interval of 12-14 days providing an average of two spawnings per month. The incubation period of the eggs were 7-8 days and the fertilised eggs hatched on the 8 th day, soon after sunset, generally between 19.00 and 20.00 hrs. Different strains of cultured plankton like Isochrysis galbana, Nanochloropsis oculata, L-type rotifer Brachionus plicatilis, calanoid copepod Acartia southwelli and Artemia were used as feed for larvae. The newly hatched larvae with a total length of 5±0.16 mm metamorphosed to juveniles on the 40 th day (18.87±0.07 mm). Black ocellaris is a highly priced clownfish and can be used to crossbreed with the normal orange coloured ocellaris clown fish to produce different colour variants.
... These are either wholly absent, or accounted for by some of the bones that were not in the reference collection. Silversides are very small, slender fish, growing to an average length of around 10 cm (Randall 2005), so their absence may be due to taphonomic factors. The goatfish, kature/Parupeneus fraterculus, while present, is scarce at Tangarutu. ...
... Rearing of aquarium fish in captivity can help production of hardier species, which grow far better in captivity and survive longer (Ogawa and Brown, 2001;Olivier, 2003). Pomacentrid fishes (369 known species), which include clownfishes and damselfishes, are the most popular aquarium fishes inhabiting tropical and subtropical seas in Indo-Pacific regions (FAO, 2004;Randall, 2005;Fishbase, 2008). Clownfishes are very popular among aquarists due to their bright colour, interesting display behaviour and their ability to adapt to captive conditions (Wilkerson, 1998). ...
Broodstock development, breeding, spawning, larval rearing and growth of black Amphiprion ocellaris in captivity aredescribed in this study. The black ocellaris, a magnificent colour morph of A. ocellaris was bred in captivity at VizhinjamResearch Centre of ICAR-Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (ICAR-CMFRI). Two adults, approximately 4-6 cmin total length (TL) were stocked in FRP tanks of 300 l capacity, under optimum water quality. The broodfishes were fed acombination of boiled mussel meat, boiled squid and semimoist feed (protein - 40 %, lipid - 9.5 %, fibre - 2% and moisture- 31%) twice daily at a rate of 3-5% of their body weight. After a period of 1.7 years, the fishes started showing courtshipbehaviour and initiated spawning. The oocytes were of 3-3.3 mm in length and 1.1-1.9 mm in width. Approximately200-300 eggs spawned the first time and the number of eggs gradually increased in subsequent spawnings. Spawning wasobtained at an interval of 12-14 days providing an average of two spawnings per month. The incubation period of the eggswere 7-8 days and the fertilised eggs hatched on the 8 th day, soon after sunset, generally between 19.00 and 20.00 hrs.Different strains of cultured plankton like Isochrysis galbana, Nanochloropsis oculata, L-type rotifer Brachionus plicatilis,calanoid copepod Acartia southwelli and Artemia were used as feed for larvae. The newly hatched larvae with a total lengthof 5±0.16 mm metamorphosed to juveniles on the 40 th day (18.87±0.07 mm). Black ocellaris is a highly priced clownfishand can be used to crossbreed with the normal orange coloured ocellaris clown fish to produce different colour variant
... The 88 species identified during sampling were plotted on a species accumulation curve, and the total species richness of the assemblage was extrapolated using three estimation indices Common names follow Randall, 2005. ...
The Pitcairn Islands, located in the central South Pacific, contain near-pristine marine ecosystems which support unique fish assemblages, together with both endemic and threatened species. Pitcairn itself is the only inhabited island in the group and, before this study, the environmental impact of local fisheries was unclear, with little data to inform conservation and management. In 2014–2015 coastal fish populations were assessed using a mixed methods approach: a newly introduced system of fishers’ catch monitoring and Baited Remote Underwater Video Systems (BRUVS). Thirty-nine BRUVS deployments recorded 88 species in total, with small-bodied herbivores (e.g., Kyphosus pacificus) and mesopredators (e.g., Xanthichthys mento) dominating a “bottom heavy” assemblage. Several large pelagic predators were recorded, but reef-associated predators were rare with only one shark observed. Pitcairn’s top predator assemblage was relatively impoverished compared to global “pristine” sites, including other islands within the Pitcairn group. Top predator scarcity may be explained by local artisanal fisheries, which have historically targeted sharks and other large reef carnivores, and these taxa may not have recovered despite subsequent declines in fishing pressure. The dominant small-bodied species may have proliferated as a result of diminished top predator populations. Subsequent to BRUVS sampling, a local fisheries officer post was created to collate catch data from coastal fishers. Regular returns were obtained from over half of the active fishers (representing approximately 80% of catches), with K. pacificus also dominating catches and the small grouper Epinephelus fasciatus frequently targeted. Thirty fish species were represented in the recorded catch over a 12 month period. Results were shared with the local community, providing a basis for the cooperative design of a Fisheries Management Plan. This plan ensured traditional fisheries could continue in a sustainable manner within Coastal Conservation Zones around each of the four Pitcairn Islands, established within the large, no-take Marine Protected Area designated in 2016, covering the entire Pitcairn Exclusive Economic Zone. Monitoring of Pitcairn’s artisanal fisheries should be continued beyond this one-off study in order to inform adjustment of the Fisheries Management Plan, as the ongoing island fishery may still have consequences for long-term sustainability, particularly for pelagic species caught in coastal waters which remain a significant data gap.
... Cryptic groups (e.g., some epinepheline groupers, soldierfishes, scorpionfishes, blennies, gobies, and dottybacks) were only recorded when intercepted and could be underrepresented in the data, although full search of the area was conducted for each transect. Fish species identification was based on Allen et al. (2003) and Randall (2005). The validity and taxonomic classification of species were checked using Eschmeyer's Catalog of Fishes (Fricke, Eschmeyer, and Van der Laan 2020) and primary literature. ...
Many studies have examined the performance of locally managed marine reserves in the Philippines but the effectiveness of nationally managed marine reserves under the National Integrated Protected Areas System (NIPAS) Act is poorly understood. This study assessed the biomass and trophic structure of reef fishes inside and outside marine reserves from seven NIPAS seascapes. These were compared to other protected seascapes being proposed for inclusion under the NIPAS. Total fish biomass was higher inside marine reserves than outside; however, the effect of protection was not evident when total biomass of commercially valued families was compared. Furthermore, the total biomass of commercially important fishes was lower in NIPAS reefs and fell below threshold values for sustaining fisheries. No difference in trophic structure was found between inside and outside marine reserves in both NIPAS and non-NIPAS reefs. In addition, the relative biomass of predatory fishes (trophic levels ≥ 4) was smaller in reefs with low fish biomass (<25 mt km−2; which describes many NIPAS reefs), than those with higher total fish biomass. The overfished state and depauperate predator biomass of NIPAS reefs may be attributed to poor enforcement of no-take regulations and lack of stakeholder engagement, suggesting the need for improved management.
... Former researches considered that the genus Monotaxis was monotypic, and indicated M. heterodon was a junior synonym of M. grandoculis (Carpenter and Johnson, 2002). In contrast to earlier findings, other researchers found that both morphological characteristic and DNA barcodes of the two species were significantly different (Randall, 2005;Chen and Borsa, 2020;Limmon et al., 2020). Consistent with these literatures, the M. heterodon here was confirmed as a valid species based on morphologic characteristics and DNA barcodes. ...
Development of effective conservation and management strategies requires assessments of ecosystem biodiversity status, especially in understudied hotspots of global fish diversity. Coral reefs are important habitats for fishes, with biodiversity hotspots known globally. We present the first data on molecular diversity of fishes of Mischief Reef, the largest atoll in the Nansha Islands. Partial sequences (650 bp) of mitochondrial COI gene (Cytochrome c oxidase subunit I) are used to identify 209 individuals, representing 101 species, referable to 62 genera, 27 families, 8 orders, and 1 class. The most abundant orders are the Perciformes (176 specimens, 84.21%), Tetraodontiformes (13 specimens, 6.22%), and Beryciformes (13 specimens, 6.22%). Mean Kimura 2-Parameter genetic distances within genera, families, and orders are 4.51, 13.90, and 17.63%, respectively. We record Monotaxis heterodon from this region for the first time—a species that may previously have been misidentified as M. grandoculis. In addition, we recognized possible cryptic species of Lethrinus olivaceus based on significantly diverging barcode sequences. Barcode data provide new insights into fish diversity of Mischief Reef, important for developing further researches on this fauna, and for its conservation.
... Upon examination of the gut contents, it was observed that many of the live feed were not fully digested (Fig. 7). Ephippid fish are commonly classified as being omnivorous (Kishimoto et al., 1988;Leu et al., 2018), though tending to carnivorous habits (Kuiter and Debelius, 2001;Randall, 2005), although much is still not known about their ecology in both the wild and captivity (Barros et al., 2008). Further studies on the physiological development of the early digestive system, including enzymatic activity assays, are required to better understand larval feeding behavior and digestive capabilities so that appropriate and optimized feeding strategies can be developed. ...
Advancement and diversification of the aquaculture industry is reliant on the development of captive breeding and rearing protocols for novel fish species. Orbicular batfish (Platax orbicularis), a major emerging species in Polynesian aquaculture, live in brackish and marine waters around coral reefs, and are highly prized by Pacific Island communities for their high-quality meat. The present study describes the larval growth of P. orbicularis from hatching until 16 days after hatching (DAH) using meristics and thyroid hormone (T 3) quantification. Our study highlighted that metamorphosis of P. orbicularis is critical to their production in aquaculture, as found for other species. Levels of the thyroid hormone T 3 in P. orbicularis reached a peak at 12 DAH (i.e. hormonal metamorphosis). This peak occurred in concert with important morphological changes and increased mortality and growth between 9 and 12 DAH, clearly illustrating the sensitivity of this fish during metamorphosis. Overall, our study sheds light on the metamorphosis and larval development of a novel aquaculture species, and the interplay between hormonal and morphological changes throughout a critical period of its rearing. These findings may promote the development of protocols for mass-scale production of orbicular batfish in captivity, which may be particularly beneficial to the aquaculture industries of many Pacific Island countries.
... In particular, Nelson (1994) opted to treat Microcanthus as a member of the family Kyphosidae, comprising the subfamilies Girellinae, Kyphosinae, Microcanthinae, Parascorpidinae, and Scorpidinae. Other authors recommended elevating each of these subfamilies to familial status: Girellidae, Kyphosidae, Microcanthidae, Parascorpididae, and Scorpididae (Francis 2001;Randall 2005;Allen & Erdmann 2012). Because various molecular studies have not recovered a monophyletic Kyphosidae that includes the above taxa (see e.g., Yagishita et al. 2002;Knudsen & Clements 2016), we here elect to recognise the Microcanthidae as a full family, distinct from Kyphosidae. ...
The taxonomy and classification of the microcanthid fish genus Microcanthus Swainson has been a subject of contention dating back to the 19 th century. Its allopatric, disjunct anti-equatorial distribution across the Indo-West Pacific has resulted in the recognition of several nominal taxa, though these have been widely regarded as synonyms of Microcanthus strigatus (Cuvier). Following the results published in a companion study elsewhere by the authors, the taxonomy of Microcanthus and the validity of these nominal synonyms are herewith revised. Microcanthus strigatus is redescribed on the basis of 66 specimens from East Asia, Hawaii and Western Australia, and M. joyceae is resurrected and redescribed on the basis of 25 specimens from eastern Australia and the southwest Pacific. Microcanthus differs from other microcanthid genera in having the following combination of characters: dorsal-fin rays XI,15-17 (usually XI,16); anal-fin rays III,13-15 (usually III,14); pectoral-fin rays 15-17 (usually 16); scales ctenoid with ctenial bases present; lateral-line scales partially or heavily obscured by adjacent scales; and body pale in preservation with five horizontal dark stripes reaching the posterior edges of dorsal and anal fins, and base of caudal fin. The review is accompanied by a key to the genera of Microcanthidae.
... multibarbata" (4.8 mm SL and 12.0 mm SL) that were smaller than the present specimens, but the fin ray and vertebral counts of the larvae were not provided. Furthermore, Machida et al. (1998) Comparison of the larva and juveniles of Brotula sp. 1 and Brotula sp. 2 between three nominal species known from the Western Pacific Ocean 1 data from Hubbs (1944), Nielsen and Cohen (1986), Randall et al. ( , 1997, Randall (1995Randall ( , 2005Randall ( , 2007, Machida et al. (1998), Machida (2001, Nakabo (2002), Prokofiev (2007), Allen and Erdmann (2012), and Nakabo and Kai (2013) 2 data from Prokofiev (2007) 3 date from Jordan and Evermann (1902) anterior to posterior to pectoral-fin base above or slightly anterior to pectoral-fin base anterior to pectoral-fin base Leis and Rennis (1983) and Okiyama et al. (2000) proposed that the early development of an elongated pectoral fin is a well-known adaptation to pelagic life. Machida et al. (1998), and mentioned by Leis and Rennis (1983), Okiyama et al. (2000) and Okiyama (2014). ...
Larva and juveniles belonging to two ophidiid species of the genus Brotula Cuvier 1829, Brotula sp. 1 [3 specimens, 14.2, 50.7, and 55.7 mm in standard length (SL)] and Brotula sp. 2 (1 specimen, 47.8 mm SL), were collected from the Northwest Pacific Ocean off the Okinawa, Izu (Aoga-shima Island and Miyake-jima Island), and Ogasawara Islands, Japan. Although the counts and proportions of both species agree with the documented ranges of Brotula multibarbata Temminck and Schlegel 1846 known from Japan, the larva and juveniles are clearly different from each other by the following combination of characters: counts of dorsal-fin rays [Brotula sp. 1, 122–126 (about 130 in the larva) vs. Brotula sp. 2, 118], anal-fin rays [94–101 (106) vs. 85], caudal-fin rays (11 vs. 9), and vertebrae (14 + 45–46 = 59–60 vs. 16 + 42 = 58); position of dorsal-fin origin [above or posterior to pectoral-fin base (above 6th vertebra) vs. anterior to pectoral-fin base (above 3rd vertebra)]; predorsal length (56.5–59.8% vs. 51.0% of preanal-fin length); blackish spots behind eye (present vs. absent); brown spots on body and vertical fins (present vs. absent); size of pectoral fin [small, not reaching anus (13.5–13.7% of SL) vs. large, reaching anus (28.3% of SL)]; and length between dorsal- and anal-fin origins (22.7–24.6% vs. 31.3% of SL). The occurrence of the larva and juveniles suggests that “B. multibarbata” known from Japan represents two species: Brotula sp. 1 and Brotula sp. 2 are probably B. multibarbata and Brotula formosae Jordan and Evermann 1902, respectively; the former is currently regarded as the senior synonym of the latter. In addition, this study describes for the first time the living coloration of Brotula larva.
... This species is caught by drive-in nets, gill nets, traps, trawls, and handlines. Juveniles are important as tuna baitfish in some areas (Randall 2005). This species is usually taken in multispecies catches of fusilier fish. ...
Species of the family Scorpaenidae are easily misidentified due to their similar appearances, a result of camouflaging to their surroundings. In recent years, many species from this family have been described, and generic placements of some species have been revised. Previously, there were 80 species belonging to 29 genera of the Scorpaenidae recorded in Taiwanese waters. However, their taxonomy has not been revised for decades. It is necessary to update the checklist of the Scorpaenidae occurring in Taiwanese waters based on updated morphological and molecular data. In the present study, we revised the Taiwanese scorpaenids based on 296 specimens and updated the checklist, amounting to a total of 85 species of 29 genera, of which Sebastapistes mauritiana (Cuvier) is a new record, and three species from the genera Phenacoscorpius, Scorpaenopsis, and Sebastapistes are unable to be identified to any species. Using molecular analysis, we conducted the first comprehensive DNA barcoding study of the Scorpaenidae from Taiwanese waters based on a partial cytochrome c oxidase I (COI) gene of 655 bps. A total of 118 COI sequences were generated from voucher specimens of 66 species (28 genera) identified based on morphological characters. The COI sequences of Parascorpaena maculipinnis, Scorpaena pepo, and Scorpaenopsis orientalis are new to online databases. According to the Kimura-2 Parameter (K2P) genetic distance, the mean interspecific variation (15.61%) was distinctly greater than the mean intraspecific variation (0.22%), suggesting a barcoding gap. The maximum likelihood tree showed that all lineages were supported by high bootstrap values.
A new species of triplefin (Tripterygiidae), Enneapterygius olivaceus n. sp., is described on the basis of 28 type specimens (13.7–25.1 mm standard length: SL) from Japan (Ryukyu Islands) and the Philippines. The new species is characterized by having 18–22 (20) notched lateral-line scales, 2 or 3 (2) scales below the 1st notched lateral-line scale, a single symphyseal mandibular-pore (mandibular pore formula 3 + 1 + 3), black pectoral fins in nuptial males, and no distinct line on the anal-fin membranes. In this study, Enneapterygius minutus (Günther, 1877), previously regarded as a junior synonym of Enneapterygius philippinus (Peters, 1868), is considered a valid species, being redescribed based on 109 specimens, including the re-examined type specimens. Diagnostic characters and distributional records of the species closely related to E. olivaceus n. sp. are reviewed. Enneapterygius tusitalae Jordan & Seale, 1906, Enneapterygius pardochir Jordan & Seale, 1906 and Enneapterygius punctulatus Herre, 1935 are regarded here as junior synonyms of E. minutus; Tripterygium callionymi Weber, 1909 and Enneapterygius waigiensis Herre, 1935 are junior synonyms of Enneapterygius tutuilae Jordan & Seale, 1906; Enneapterygius cerasinus Jordan & Seale, 1906 is a junior synonym of Enneapterygius unimaculatus Fricke, 1994; Enneapterygius fuligicauda Fowler, 1946 is a senior synonym of Enneapterygius similis Fricke, 1997.
Fifteen specimens (70.9–95.5 mm standard length) of the Indo-Pacific species Scorpaenodes corallinus Smith, 1957, previously recorded from Mozambique, Tanzania, Kenya, the Seychelles, Indonesia, Australia, the Hawaiian Islands, New Caledonia and French Polynesia, and recently collected from Okinawa Island (Okinawa Islands) and Yoron Island (Amami Islands), represent the first Japanese records of the species. Examination of a wide range of specimens indicated that the presence of coronal spines (formerly considered diagnostic of the species) was inconsistent. The new standard Japanese name “Ichigo-isokasago” is proposed for the species.
RÉSUMÉ
• Une liste d'espèces de poissons a été compilée à partir d'observations effectuées en plongée sous-marine sur 57 des 62 sites d'étude du lagon Nord-ouest (de Yandé à Koumac) de Nouvelle-Calédonie. Environ 90 heures de plongée ont été réalisées lors de l'inventaire, à une profondeur maximale de 30 m.
• Aujourd'hui, en Nouvelle-Calédonie, 1019 espèces de poissons associées aux récifs sont connues. L'étude a permis d'observer 526 espèces, représentant 52% de la diversité connue. Le nombre d'espèces sur les 57 sites analysés allait de 46 à 172, avec une valeur moyenne globale de 117 espèces.
• Les familles dominantes de l'aire d'étude étaient les Labridae, les Pomacentridae et les Gobiidae avec respectivement 75, 71 et 31 espèces observées.
• La plus grande diversité de poissons a été enregistrée à l'extérieur du récif barrière et sur les pentes externes avec une moyenne de 141 espèces par site. En moyenne l'intérieur des récifs barrières contenait 117 espèces par site, les passes 124 espèces, les récifs intermédiaires 127 espèces et les récifs intermédiaires 81 espèces. L'inventaire des poissons sur la plupart des sites du lagon interne, et dans une moindre mesure, du lagon intermédiaire, a été réalisé dans des conditions de mauvaise visibilité.
• L'inventaire a permis d'étendre l'aire de répartition de deux espèces de poissons récifaux jusqu'à présent jamais observés en Nouvelle-Calédonie. Il s'agit d'Asterropteryx striatus de la famille des Gobiidae et de Plectroglyphidodon phoenixensis de la famille des Pomacentridae.
• Une formule de prédiction du nombre total attendu des espèces de poissons récifaux pour l'aire d'étude a été appliquée. La formule prédit environ 773 espèces de poissons susceptibles d'être présentes sur le site. Ce résultat peut être comparé aux 1019 espèces de poissons connues pour tout le lagon et les récifs néo-calédoniens.
• Notre étude a montré l'existence d'une diversité de poissons récifaux relativement importante sur une zone étendue, ce qui indique que le lagon et le système récifal du nord-ouest est, en termes de biodiversité, important sur le plan régional, voire international. Il est tout à fait justifié et essentiel de développer un réseau d'aires marines protégées pour préserver et gérer cette région.
INTRODUCTION
Ce chapitre présente les résultats d'un inventaire des poissons récifaux du lagon Nord-ouest de la Nouvelle-Calédonie, réalisé en décembre 2007 dans le cadre d'un RAP de Conservation International. Des informations générales sur l'étude et la description des sites concernés se trouvent dans d'autres sections de ce rapport.
L'objectif était d'établir une liste complète des espèces de poissons associées aux récifs. L'inventaire a été réalisé par des observations effectuées au cours de plongées effectuées à des profondeurs présentant peu de risques pour des plongeurs autonomes (jusqu'à 30m). Cette méthode est souvent considérée comme optimale en termes de coûts et de temps passé,. Un travail scientifique considérable a été consacré à l'analyse et la compilation des données obtenues antérieurement grâce à cette méthode sur de nombreux autres sites et par de nombreux plongeurs, permettant ainsi la comparaison de ces sites entre eux. Cependant, cette méthode présente des limites, par exemple elle exclura toujours les poissons estuariens, les espèces de poissons profonds et les espèces pélagiques telles que les exocets, les thons et les poissons à rostre (billfish).
La Nouvelle-Calédonie a fait l'objet de nombreux inventaires marins. Plusieurs institutions basées en Nouvelle- Calédonie ont également effectué des recherches visant à décrire la biodiversité et l'écologie des poissons récifaux du lagon calédonien. Les leaders dans ce domaine sont le Secrétariat général de la communauté du Pacifique, l'Institut de recherche pour le développement (IRD), les organismes gouvernementaux des provinces Nord et Sud et l'université de la Nouvelle-Calédonie. Bien que la plupart des études réalisées sur les poissons des récifs de la Nouvelle-Calédonie aient eues un lien avec le secteur de la pêche, elles contiennent néanmoins de nombreuses informations sur la biodiversité. Kulbicki et al (2000) ont réalisé un inventaire détaillé des stocks de poissons du lagon de la région du nord-ouest tandis que Letourneur et al (2000) ont étudié les communautés de poissons commerciaux et les effets des différents niveaux d'érosion des sols. Ces deux études fournissent une base importante d'informations. Un inventaire de la côte Nord-est ou région du mont Panié, réalisé par Conservation International en 2004, comprenait une étude de la diversité des poissons des récifs coralliens (Evans 2006).
Les estimations actuelles du nombre total d'espèces de poissons associés aux récifs coralliens sont variables. Les chiffres continueront à augmenter lorsque de nouvelles zones feront l'objet d'inventaires intensifs et lorsque les nouvelles espèces collectées seront décrites. Allen (2006) indique un chiffre de 1019 espèces pour la Nouvelle-Calédonie. Une publication récente de l'IRD indique 1694 espèces côtières (Fricke et Kulbicki 2006). La liste récapitulative de l'IRD prend en compte les poissons présents jusqu'à une profondeur de 100 mètres ainsi que les espèces d'estuaire, ce qui explique cette différence.
La Nouvelle-Calédonie occupe une situation importante, à la limite de la plaque tectonique indo-australienne. L'Indonésie et la Papouasie-Nouvelle-Guinée, où les plus hauts niveaux de diversité de poissons coralliens au monde sont enregistrés, se trouvent au nord. Les sites centrés autour de l'Indonésie ont une diversité qui représente environ le double de celle de la Nouvelle-Calédonie. Historiquement, des espèces de la région indo-australienne sont arrivées en Nouvelle-Calédonie en suivant les courants tropicaux chauds et descendants. La proximité du « Triangle de corail » signifie que l'ichtyofaune de la Nouvelle-Calédonie est importante sur le plan mondial et se situe à un rang élevé par rapport à d'autres régions. La Nouvelle-Calédonie est reconnue comme faisant partie d'un important centre régional d'endémisme (Olsen et Dinerstein 2002; Roberts 2002).
Les méthodes d'inventaire rapide appliquées lors de cette étude peuvent fournir une image globale intéressante de la diversité des poissons récifaux sur des zones importantes. Dans la plupart des cas, les espèces rares et menacées ou les espèces indicatrices peuvent être observées et leur présence comparée à celle sur d'autres zones. Les données collectées permettent également d'appréhender la pression de pêche ou la présence de perturbations environnementales affectant la composition des communautés de poissons ou leur abondance. A un niveau plus fondamental, la connaissance de la diversité des poissons est utile et importante pour avoir des données de référence sur la structure et l'abondance des communautés. Cette information peut également être utilisée dans le cadre de futures études qui permettront de suivre l'évolution de la situation ou l'efficacité des actions de gestion de la pêche ou de protection de la biodiversité.
Ces méthodes d'inventaire peuvent toutefois conduire à une sous-estimation de la diversité globale d'un endroit donné à cause de la nature cryptique de certaines espèces et des limites du plongeur qui établit un contact visuel avec les espèces. Gerald Allen (2002a, 2002b, 2005a) a mis en place une méthode d'estimation du nombre total d'espèces de six familles dominantes de poissons à partir du nombre effectivement identifié par le plongeur. Cette méthode d'extrapolation est basée sur une analyse statistique détaillée de sites connus et d'efforts d'inventaire similaires. Elle nous permet d'extrapoler les chiffres de cette étude pour estimer le nombre total d'espèces attendues. Par ailleurs, ce nombre total estimé nous permet d'effectuer des comparaisons avec d'autres régions et pays qui ont fait l'objet d'un inventaire selon des méthodes similaires.
MÉTHODES
La méthode employée ici est très similaire à celle du RAP numéro 42 de Conservation international effectué sur le lagon Nord-est de la Nouvelle-Calédonie (Evans 2006). Environ 90 heures de plongée sous-marine, à une profondeur maximale de 30 m ont été réalisées. Une liste des espèces observées a été compilée pour chaque site. Le plongeur couvre, sur chaque site, tous les niveaux de profondeur et les différents habitats en une seule plongée durant de 60 à 110 minutes. Le nom de chaque espèce observée est noté au crayon sur une feuille en plastique attachée à un pressepapier. La technique implique de descendre jusqu'à 30 m le long du récif ou, lorsque la profondeur est inférieure à 30 m, jusqu'à la base du récif c'est à dire au niveau des sédiments. Pour une profondeur inférieure à 30m, on consacre 5 à 10 minutes à l'observation des espèces présentes sur les sédiments avant d'aller vers le récif. L'effort d'inventaire est divisé entre les différents niveaux de profondeur ; on consacre plus de temps à la zone située entre 1 et 12 mètres, où l'abondance et la diversité de poissons récifaux sont en général les plus élevées. Le plongeur se déplace lentement et en zigzaguant à travers les habitats à la recherche des espèces nageant librement tout en passant plus de temps à rechercher des espèces les plus cryptiques cachées dans le substrat. Chaque plongée couvre un échantillon représentatif des principaux fonds et habitats présents sur le site. Les habitats typiquement rencontrés ont été les zones intertidales rocheuses, les platiers, les tombants escarpés, les grottes, les graviers et le sable ou un mélange sable/boue et les bancs à fonds meubles.
En plus de la présence d'une espèce, on note son abondance relative sur chaque site. Si une espèce n'est observée qu'une seule fois sur un site, sa note d'abondance est de 1 (rare). Une note de 2 (occasionnelle) est attribuée lorsque 2 à 10 individus d'une espèce sont observés ; une note de 3 (commune) est attribuée pour 11 à 50 individus observés, enfin une note de 4 (abondante) est donnée lorsque plus de 50 individus ont été vus. On calcule ensuite la moyenne des côtes d'abondance pour chaque espèce sur l'ensemble des sites ce qui permet de définir un indice d'abondance relatif ou de déterminer une description de chaque espèce présente.
On ne note le nom des poissons que lorsque l'identification est certaine. Dans le doute, on essaie de photographier l'individu pour en faire l'identification après la plongée. Dans tous les cas, les feuilles de données sont immédiatement vérifiées après la plongée et les photos prises sont analysées pour finaliser la liste d'espèces observées. Lors de ces vérifications, les autres plongeurs apportent leurs contributions à travers des observations ou des photographies d'espèces qui, une fois vérifiées, sont rajoutées à la liste. Compte tenu du peu de temps disponible et de la complexité des communautés de poissons observées, il est essentiel que le plongeur ait une grande expérience de l'identification des poissons récifaux.
Aucune méthode invasive telle que l'empoisonnement ou la pêche n'a été employée. Ces méthodes ont été utilisées pour des inventaires antérieurs et ont permis de dénombrer plus d'individus de certaines familles, en particulier les espèces cryptiques des familles de Gobiidae, de Blenniidae et de Trypterygiidae. La capture est une pratique importante pour un travail taxonomique ou pour l'identification des espèces nouvelles ou rares, mais ce n'était pas un objectif spécifique de cet inventaire. Toutes les photographies prises ont été archivées et classées par site.
RÉSULTATS ET DISCUSSIONS
Composition générale de la communauté de poisons
Aujourd'hui, 1019 espèces de poissons associées aux récifs sont connues dans le lagon de la Nouvelle-Calédonie (Allen 2006). Lors de cet inventaire, des espèces de poissons ont été observées et répertoriées sur 57 des 62 sites étudiés. Un total de 526 espèces a été identifié sur le lagon Nord-ouest, ce qui représente 52% de la diversité connue. L'abondance moyenne de chaque espèce est présentée dans une liste en annexe 2.
Le tableau 2.1 présente la diversité spécifique des treize familles les mieux représentées sur l'ensemble des sites. Les familles sont classées en ordre décroissant de diversité. Les trois premières familles en termes de diversité, c'est-à-dire les Labridae (75), les Pomacentridae (71) et les Gobiidae (31) constituent 34 % des espèces répertoriées. Les 10 premières familles (Labridae, Pomacentridae, Gobiidae, Acanthuridae, Chaetodontidae, Serranidae, Scaridae, Lutjanidae, Apogonidae et Blenniidae) représentent 63% du total.
L'ordre de classement et d'importance des familles répertoriées lors de cet inventaire est similaire aux résultats obtenus par d'autres études (Allen 2006) avec quelques exceptions notables. En général, la famille des Gobiidae se situe au premier rang ou proche du premier rang. Il en est de même pour la famille des Blenniidae qui est généralement en sixième ou en septième position. Lors de cet inventaire, les Gobiidae se classaient 3ème et les Blenniidae 10ème. Il est probable que ces deux familles aient été sous-échantillonnées pour plusieurs raisons : elles contiennent de nombreuses espèces de petite taille et cryptiques, qui se cachent littéralement dans le substrat de corail et sont très difficiles à observer ; les différents observateurs peuvent avoir consacré une durée variable à trouver ces espèces difficiles et il faut un niveau d'expérience élevé pour identifier ces espèces; enfin, les inventaires antérieurs utilisés pour la comparaison ont généralement employé des techniques d'empoisonnement ou de capture en plus de l'observation visuelle. Nous n'avons pas employé ces techniques invasives qui auraient fait une différence importante au niveau de la diversité spécifique observée, en particulier pour les espèces cryptiques et de petite taille.
Tableau 2.1. Classement par diversité spécifique des treize familles de poissons récifaux les plus représentées. La colonne espèce donne le nombre d'espèces observées pour chacune de ces familles lors de l'inventaire du lagon du nord-ouest (Yandé à Koumac) en Nouvelle-Calédonie.
Structure de la communauté de poisons
La composition de la communauté locale de poissons récifaux dépend de la variabilité de l'habitat en Nouvelle- Calédonie et plus généralement dans la région indopacifique. La richesse relative de la faune calédonienne provient de la grande diversité de l'habitat du lagon nord-ouest. Les 62 sites d'étude visités ont été choisis de manière à inclure tous les habitats récifaux disponibles. Pour les besoins de l'analyse de la diversité des poissons, les sites ont été ainsi classés par catégorie de récifs : (1) récifs barrières externes, pente interne ou externe, (2) passes de récifs barrières externes, (3) arrière de récifs barrières, (3) récifs du lagon intermédiaire (4) récifs du lagon interne. Ces classes de récifs présentent de nombreuses variations en termes d'influence des courants, d'exposition et de sédimentation. Tous ces facteurs influencent la structure des communautés de poissons. Nous n'avons pu analyser nos résultats qu'au niveau des classes globales d'habitat présentées ci-dessus. La diversité de l'habitat se traduit par une grande variation du nombre d'espèces répertoriées. Sur le site présentant la plus grande diversité, le nombre d'espèces observées était de 172, un chiffre proche du niveau exceptionnellement élevé (200 espèces et plus) relevé dans le centre de grande diversité de la région en Indonésie, en Papouasie-Nouvelle-Guinée et aux îles Salomon, appelé le « Triangle de corail » (Allen 2002a, 2002b, 2005a, 2006).
Tableau 2.2. Nombre d'espèces de poissons récifaux observées sur chaque site lors de l'inventaire de la côte Nord-ouest (Yandé à Koumac) de Nouvelle- Calédonie. Le niveau de visibilité sous-marine et la classification du récif et de l'habitat sont indiqués. Pour l'inventaire des poissons, les catégories de récifs utilisées sont les suivantes : (1) avant des récifs barrières externes noté comme barrière externe, avant; (2) passes de récifs barrières externes noté comme barrière externe, passe ; (3) arrière des récifs barrières externes noté comme barrière externe, arrière; (3) récifs du lagon intermédiaire et (4) récifs du lagon interne.
Le tableau 2.2 présente le nombre d'espèces trouvées sur chaque site. Les chiffres varient entre 46 et 172 espèces sur les 57 sites analysés, avec une moyenne de 117 espèces par site. Quatre sites de l'inventaire (34, 57, 30 et 31) n'ont pas été inclus dans l'analyse. Le site 57 est un récif du lagon intermédiaire avec une visibilité d'1 mètre tandis que les trois autres sites sont des récifs du lagon interne avec une visibilité comprise entre 1 et 2 mètres, un niveau bien inférieur aux limites pratiques des méthodes employées.
Les sites les plus riches en poissons récifaux
Les résultats montrent que les habitats proches des principales passes doivent posséder une grande diversité de poissons (hotspots). Ceci s'explique sans doute par la présence de structures complexes d'habitat, de courants très dynamiques et variés dans ces zones, de l'effet des entrées et sorties des poissons à travers les passes ainsi que de la situation semiabritée favorable à la plupart des espèces.
Quatre autres sites parmi les 10 premiers en termes de diversité (sites 7, 6, 9 et 80) sont des pentes internes de récifs barrières situés à proximité des passes. Ce résultat n'est pas vraiment une surprise compte tenu de l'influence des courants océaniques, de la grande propreté de l'eau et de la grande complexité physique des récifs à ces endroits. Vu la situation de ces sites, il est également possible que la proximité des principales passes aient une influence positive sur la diversité des communautés. Il faut noter que quatre des dix premiers sites se trouvent près de l'île de Yandé. Deux autres sites de cette île sont classés entre la 11 et la 20ème place en termes de diversité.
L'analyse de la diversité des poissons (tableau 2.3) en fonction des sites indique que les récifs barrières externes présentent la plus grande diversité avec 141 espèces par site. La diversité la plus faible est enregistrée sur les récifs de lagon interne avec 81 espèces en moyenne.
Tableau 2.3. Nombre de sites effectués par catégories de récif ainsi que moyenne et gamme du nombre d'espèces observées lors de l'inventaire. Pour l'inventaire des poissons, les catégories de récifs utilisées sont les suivantes : (1) avant des récifs barrières externes noté comme barrière externe, avant; (2) passes de récifs barrières externes noté comme barrière externe, passe; (3) arrière des récifs barrières externes noté comme barrière externe, arrière; (3) récifs du lagon intermédiaire et (4) récifs du lagon interne.
Les inventaires de la plupart des récifs internes, et dans une moindre mesure des récifs intermédiaires ont été réalisés dans des conditions de mauvaise visibilité. Le nombre relativement faible d'espèces répertoriées sur les récifs internes peut s'expliquer par les difficultés d'échantillonnage causées par le manque de visibilité. Il est probable que le niveau important de sédiments dans la colonne d'eau ait, à la longue, un impact négatif sur la qualité de l'habitat et par conséquent sur la diversité de poissons. La relation de cause à effet entre les niveaux de sédiments, l'impact sur l'habitat et la diversité ne peut être déterminée par la méthode employée ici.
Indice de diversité des poissons coralliens (CFDI)
Gerald Allen (1998) a développé une formule permettant d'estimer le nombre total d'espèces de poissons attendues à partir du comptage de six familles dominantes de poissons récifaux. La technique utilise une formule basée sur une analyse statistique approfondie de données collectées sur un vaste ensemble de sites d'étude. L'autre grand avantage de cette analyse est la possibilité de comparer plus précisément la diversité et la structure des communautés de poissons entre différentes zones géographiques et d'examiner les changements enregistrés suite aux actions de gestion ou à l'évolution de la situation environnementale.
Pour analyser les résultats de cette étude, nous avons utilisé la formule développée pour les zones relativement restreintes (surface marine environnante inférieure à 2000 km²) :
Nombre total attendu d'espèces de poissons des récifs
La valeur du CFDI pour cette étude est obtenue en additionnant le nombre d'espèces répertoriées pour les six familles suivantes : Labridae (75), Pomacentridae (71), Acanthuridae (29), Chaetodontidae (28), Scaridae (20) et Pomacanthidae (11). La valeur du CFDI est de 234.
Le résultat indique que le nombre théorique d'espèces de cette zone est d'environ 773. Ce chiffre ne correspond ni au nombre d'espèces connues de 1019 pour la Nouvelle- Calédonie ni au chiffre de 526 espèces déterminé lors de cette étude.
Le tableau 2.4 présente les valeurs du CFDI, le total estimatif d'espèces de poissons prédit par la formule de CFDI et le nombre connu d'espèces pour un ensemble de pays du Pacifique, classés d'est en ouest. Les résultats de cet inventaire sont conformes à la tendance biogéographique globale qui place la Nouvelle-Calédonie à la limite du « Triangle de corail », zone connue pour posséder la diversité mondiale la plus forte. Globalement, le niveau de diversité est supérieur ou comparable à toutes les zones sauf au centre de diversité des récifs coralliens Indonésie/Papouasie-Nouvelle- Guinée/îles Salomon. Les chiffres trouvés ici sont également comparables à ceux déterminés lors de l'inventaire effectué par Conservation International des récifs coralliens au large du mont Panié (lagon du nord-est) en Nouvelle-Calédonie (Evans 2006).
Tableau 2.4. Index de diversité des poissons coralliens (CFDI) pour des localités spécifiques de la région indopacifique. Toutes les données proviennent d'Allen (2002a, 2002b) sauf de la présente étude (Kerr) et du lagon du mont Panié en Nouvelle Calédonie d'après Evans (2006) (les deux sont en gras).
Espèces menaces
Onze espèces répertoriées lors de cet inventaire font partie de la Liste rouge de l'UICN (tableau 2.5). Ce sont des espèces remarquables et présentes sur un certain nombre de sites.
Nouvelles observations pour la Nouvelle-Calédonie
Cet inventaire a permis d'étendre l'aire de répartition de deux espèces (tableau 2.6) jusqu'à présent jamais observée en Nouvelle-Calédonie. Affirmation soutenue sur la base de la liste établie par Fricke et Kulbicki (2006).
Une espèce de la famille des Gobiidae qui n'avait pas été auparavant observée en Nouvelle-Calédonie a été trouvée. L'identification de cette espèce s'est basée sur Allen et al (2005b) et Fricke et Kulbicki (2006). Le poisson a été identifié comme Asterropteryx striatus, au nom commun anglais de « striped gobi » donné par Allen. Il a été trouvé sur onze sites. Trois photos d'identification de qualité faible à modérée d'Asterropteryx striatus ont été prises et archivées. La deuxième nouvelle espèce pour la Nouvelle-Calédonie était Plectroglyphidodon phoenixensis de la famille des Pomacentridae. Elle a été observée sur deux sites et une photo de bonne qualité a été prise et archivée. Ces deux nouvelles espèces pour la Nouvelle-Calédonie avaient été auparavant observées en Indonésie ou encore dans la région de la Grande barrière de corail. On pouvait donc s'attendre à les trouver en Nouvelle-Calédonie.
Une autre observation notable était celle, faite sur un seul site (49), d'une espèce de la famille des Gobiidae appelée Tomiyamichythys oni, au nom commun anglais de « monster shrimp goby » donné par Allen. Cette espèce n'a été répertoriée qu'une seule fois auparavant, lors d'un inventaire en 2006 réalise par le WWF dans le lagon nord de la Nouvelle- Calédonie (G. Allen com. pers.). Une photographie de bonne qualité a été prise et se trouve en possession de l'auteur.
Tableau 2.5 : espèces observées pendant l'inventaire et présentes sur la Liste rouge de l'UICN. Leur statut selon cette liste indiqué à coté de chaque espèce. Les espèces sont classées par famille en ordre alphabétique.
RECOMMANDATIONS DE CONSERVATION
La Nouvelle-Calédonie a des connexions biogéographiques importantes avec le « Triangle de corail » (Roberts et al 2002). Compte tenu des menaces liées au réchauffement climatique, la situation de la Nouvelle-Calédonie qui se trouve à une latitude inférieure présente un intérêt régional important en matière de conservation de la biodiversité et de sa planification. Alors que les systèmes récifaux situés plus au nord connaissent d'avantage d'épisodes de blanchissement corallien à cause de « points chauds océaniques » (augmentation de la température de la mer) plus fréquents, le lagon de la Nouvelle-Calédonie peut jouer un rôle important en tant que refuge pour la biodiversité de la région indopacifique. Ceci renforce l'importance de la création d'un réseau d'aires marines protégées (AMP) en Nouvelle-Calédonie.
Le lagon nord-ouest de la Nouvelle-Calédonie présente une diversité presque exhaustive des habitats de récifs coralliens. Certaines zones peuvent être décrites comme subissant peu d'impact anthropique De tels endroits sont de plus en plus rares dans le Pacifique. Deux zones sont particulièrement remarquables : l'île de Yandé et sa passe ainsi que la passe de Kendec. Elles sont fortement prioritaires et méritent d'être incluses dans un réseau d'AMP. L'île de Yandé et sa passe présentent une grande complexité d'habitats et un ensemble unique de facteurs géologiques. Il s'agit d'une île élevée près d'un passe importante. Il en résulte un ensemble très complexe de courants et de conditions d'exposition, créant un les conditions optimales pour la diversité des poissons. Les sites autour de l'île de Yandé et de la passé de Yandé sont classés premiers sur les 10 sites à plus forte diversité.
Tableau 2.6. Nouvelles observations de poissons récifaux pour la Nouvelle- Calédonie. La famille et le nom spécifique des nouvelles espèces ainsi que les sites d'observation sont indiqués.
La passe de Kendec est similaire à la passe de Yandé car il s'agit aussi d'une passe large avec un fort courant et une diversité d'habitats importante. Les sites de la passe de Kendec présentent une diversité relativement élevée de poissons malgré des indices qui laissent supposer une certaine pression de pêche possiblement significative. Nos résultats montrent que cette zone est très productive et importante pour la diversité des poissons. Il est probable que les récifs de cette zone réagiront très favorablement à une protection de haut niveau. Compte tenu de la forte biodiversité, de la valeur des habitats et de la menace d'une pression de pêche accrue, cette zone devrait être également considérée prioritaire pour la conservation et incluse dans un réseau d'AMP.
L'autre recommandation essentielle de la planification des AMP est d'inclure, dans la mesure du possible, tous les différents types d'habitats de la région. Cette stratégie permettra de protéger le plus vaste ensemble possible de poissons tout en apportant un appui à toutes les fonctions écologiques telles que la connectivité et les éléments essentiels aux différentes étapes du cycle reproductif de certaines espèces ayant des exigences particulières. Il faut noter que cette approche est également prudente car elle permet de protéger de façon optimale des espèces qui n'ont pas encore été observées et/ou des fonctions écologiques qui sont encore mal comprises. La liste des choses que nous ignorons des écosystèmes récifaux est encore longue.
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Aim
Our main aim was to identify the distribution of, and potential mechanisms underpinning, hybrid‐rich zones – regions with a disproportionate number of unique interspecific hybrids. We investigated whether coral reef fish hybrids coincided with factors such as phylogenetic relatedness, biogeographic barriers, species richness, geographic isolation, endemism, and oceanic currents.
Location
Global.
Time period
Contemporary.
Major taxa studied
Coral reef fishes.
Methods
We conducted a literature review and mapping to assess the taxonomic and global prevalence of hybridisation in coral reef fishes. We then fit Generalised additive models using a full‐subsets and Bayesian framework to assess which variables are associated with hybrid‐rich zones.
Results
We found 143 unique interspecific coral reef fish hybrids involving 204 species – which accounts for approximately 7% of coral reef fish species, indicating that hybridisation is as common in the sea as it is on land. Characteristic coral reef fish families were not homogeneously represented in our dataset, with particularly colourful groups standing out. Mapping our dataset revealed that coral reef fish hybrids are found worldwide, though some ecoregions (e.g., the Christmas and Cocos (Keeling) Islands, South Kuroshio, Hawaii, and Eastern Philippines) are more hybrid‐rich than others. Our analysis revealed that mean surface current velocity, phylogenetic relatedness, and geographic isolation were the best predictors of hybrid richness in a given location.
Main conclusions
Phylogenetic distance between coral reef fish species may serve as a pre‐condition for hybridisation to occur, lying between introgression and reproductive incompatibility. We also propose a novel mechanism, with oceanic currents driving long‐distance larval dispersal events, transporting stray species to geographically remote sinks to maintain hybrid‐rich zones.
A revised diagnosis is provided for the poorly known clingfish genus Lepadicyathus Prokofiev 2005. The genus belongs to Diademichthyinae (sensu Conway et al.) and is characterized by the following combination of characters: snout moderate in length, slightly pointed in lateral view; oral cleft very small, restricted to anterior tip of snout, posterior portion of both jaws covered by thick skin; gill membrane attached to isthmus; gill opening tiny, narrow slit, dorsal-most extent level with base of 12th or 13th pectoral-fin ray in lateral view; “single” adhesive disc, its size moderate, length 16.6–20.4% SL; center of disc flat, without cavity; disc papillae flattened, similar in size across disc surface; cephalic lateral-line canals moderately developed, including 2 nasal, 2 lacrimal and 2 postorbital pores; pre-opercular and mandibular lateral-line canals absent; anus situated about midway between posterior margin of disc and anal-fin origin (disc to anus length 45.8–55.5% of disc to anal-fin origin length); dorsal, anal, and caudal fins weakly connected by membrane with distinct notch between fins; premaxillae separated anteriorly by large circular gap in dorsal view; nasal bone long, anterior tip pointed, terminating close to anteromedial tip of premaxilla in dorsal view; few lower-jaw teeth (ca. 6), restricted to anterior ca. 1/4 of dentary; basibranchial elements (including cartilages) absent; caudal skeleton with upper and lower hypural plates, separated by narrow hypural diastema. As recognized herein, Lepadicyathus is monotypic and contains only Lepadicyathus minor (Briggs 1955), new combination. The species has previously been assigned to Lepadichthys.
A new genus and two new species of Indo-Pacific clingfishes are described in this study. The new genus, Flabellicauda, belongs to the Diademichthyinae and can be distinguished from other genera currently placed in this subfamily by the following combination of characters: snout moderate in length and slightly pointed, not extremely long or strongly rounded; oral cleft very small, restricted to anterior tip of snout, posterior portion of both jaws covered by thick skin of snout; gill opening a tiny, narrow slit, dorsalmost point level with base of 9th to 14th (usually 12th, rarely 9th) pectoral-fin ray in lateral view; gill membrane attached to isthmus; two rows of gill filaments on gill arches 1–3; extremely small “single” adhesive disc, its length 8.1–13.5% SL; center of disc flat, without cavity; disc papillae flattened, similar in size across disc surface; preopercular lateral line canal and associated pores absent; dorsal, anal, and caudal fins connected via thin membrane, giving appearance of single, continuous median fin around posterior part of body; and upper and lower hypural plates completely fused, forming large fan-like hypural complex. Two new species are described and assigned to Flabellicauda, including F. alleni, new species (type species of Flabellicauda), and F. cometes, new species. Two additional species previously assigned to Lepadichthys are also transferred to Flabellicauda, including F. bolini, new combination, and F. akiko, new combination. Among species of Flabellicauda, F. akiko is unique in having the following characters: head sensory canal pores poorly developed, including 1 nasal and 1 postorbital pore (vs. usually 2 nasal, 2 lacrimal, and 2 postorbital pores in F. alleni, and F. bolini; 2 nasal pores in F. cometes); upper end of gill opening level with base of 9th or 10th pectoral-fin ray in lateral view (vs. 12th to 14th); disc region A with papillae at center (vs. disc region A without papillae at center); and body background color red in life, with white stripes along body (vs. body background color black or marron in life, with white stripes along body). Although F. alleni is very similar to F. bolini, the former differs from the latter in having a higher number of gill rakers (viz., 5–8 [modally 6, rarely 5], 6–8 [6], and 6–8 [7] on the first, second, and third gill arch, respectively, and 18–24 [19] total gill rakers [first + second + third arch] in F. alleni vs. 4–6 [5] on the first, second, and third arch, respectively, and 12–17 [14] total gill rakers in F. bolini). In addition to the meristic difference, head length, pre-disc length, orbit diameter, and caudal-peduncle length and width proportions further aid to distinguish F. alleni from F. bolini. Examined specimens of F. alleni were collected from Sri Lank and southeast Asia whereas those of F. bolini were collected from Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, and Fiji and the range of the two species are not known to overlap. Flabellicauda cometes can be easily distinguished from F. alleni and F. bolini in having the following characters: 10–12 dorsal-fin rays (vs. 12–15 [13]); 9–11 anal-fin rays (vs. 10–13 [11], rarely 10); head sensory canal pores poorly developed, including 2 nasal and 1 postorbital pores. Notes on the ecology of each of the four species of Flabellicauda are also provided.
The fishery of the spotted sardinella, Amblygaster sirm (Walbaus, 1792) has been the most important catch in the Egyptian waters. The age and growth of the A. sirm were updated for the Red Sea, Egyptian waters, in addition to an evaluation of the captures over the last 12 years (2006–2018). To specify the age, more than one reader was determined in the present study. As a result, the recorded life history ranged from 0 to 3 years old. The growth parameters were investigated with various models (von Bertallanfy, Gompertz, Richard and logistic). The growth-length relationship (L∞ ) and the growth rate (K) were estimated with 274 mm and 0.35 year-1 respectively. The importance of the present study lies in being a biological data provider with respect to sardine species in the Red Sea, and hence the decision to take the action for the management of such species could be elaborated.
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