Check List 10(5): 1123–1133, 2014 © 2014 Check List and Authors Chec List ISSN 1809-127X (available at www.checklist.org.br) Journal of species lists and distribution An update to the list PECIES S Gulf of Thailand OF of coral reef fishes from Koh Tao, 1* 2 ISTS Patrick Scaps and Chad Scott L 1 Laboratoire de Biologie animale,[email protected] Université des Sciences et Technologies de Lille, 59 655 Villeneuve d’Ascq Cédex, France. 2 New Heaven Reef Conservation Program, 48 Moo 3, Koh Tao, Suratthani, Thailand, 84360. * Corresponding author: E-mail: ABSTRACT: (i.e., cryptic species or transient Twenty-one species are reported for the first time from Koh Tao (Turtle Island) in the Gulf of Thailand. TInformationhis and photographs were obtained from local scuba divers in order to censusAntennatus rare and Histrio), Ophichthyidae (genusspecies onlyCallechelys present), duringPlatycephalidae one season) (genus or not previouslyThysanophrys recorded), Plotosidae fish species (genus living Plotosus on or near) and coral Synanceiidae reefs from the(genera area. Inimicus is the and first Synanceia time that species belonging to the families AntennariidaePseudobalistes, (genera Balistidae; Cyclichthys, Diodontidae; Bolbometopon, Scaridae; and Hippocampus, ), and reef-fish genera of severalAntennatus families nummifer ( (Antennariidae), Pseudobalistes marginatus (Balistidae), Monacanthus chinensis (Monacanthidae),Syngnathidae), Callechelys among others,marmora haveta been(Ophichthyidae), recorded in KohThysnophrys Tao. Of the cf. 21 chiltonae species reported(Platycephalidae), for the first Bolbometopon time from muricatumKoh Tao, 7 (Scaridae) species ( and Synanceia cf. verrucosa (Synanceidae)) are new records for the species found in the present study. Gulf of Thailand. To date, 223 species of coral reef fishes belonging to 53 families are known from Koh Tao, including the 10.15560/10.5.1123 DOI: Introduction MaterialS and Methods 2 archipelago in the western Gulf of Thailand. The island disadvantages, data and photographs taken between Koh Tao is a 19 km island located in the Samui 2011In andorder 2013 to avoid were the obtained seasonality by the and second the cryptic author fishes and is relatively remote and distant from the mainland, round. located 72 km from Chumphon City to the west and 115 confirmed with other local divers living on the island year- km from Suratthani city to the south (Figure 1). The Discussions with long time island residents, and visitorsisland economy per year is (Larpnurnbased largely et onal. scuba2011). diving Koh andTao reefis a sharing of the photos on social media sites from the island, graniticrelated islandtourism, surrounded receiving by between fringing 300,000–400,000reefs and isolated alsowere provided also used by tothe confirm second authorobservations (>2,000 and dives biotopes. around pinnacles consisting principally of granite and boulder theSupplemental island over information 7 years). on the observed species were 2000;formations Scaps on 2006), which the coral goal grow. of this As the study fish was fauna to around obtain suchSpecies as Myers were (1991), identified Kuiter and (1992, checked 1998), through Randall the (1992, use of Koh Tao has been extensivelyi.e., cryptic studied species (Satapoomin or species 1995),various Lieske taxonomic and Myers literatures (1994); and Allen pictorial and Steenguide (1996), books, Allen (1997), Randall et al. (1997), Allen et al. (2005) and speciesinformation not yetabout recorded rare ( locally by questioning local Traquet and Diringer (2012). scubaonly present divers duringand obtaining one season, photographs “transient in forms”) order orto We used FishBase (Froese and Pauly, 2013) and the ofaugment coral reefthe previousfishes of work. the Gulf of Thailand based on Catalog of Fishes (Eschmeyer and Fricke 2013) websites previousSatapoomin reports, (2000) particularly provided by a Thaipreliminary researchers checklist and Resultsfor updating fish taxonomy. located in the Gulf of Thailand, including Koh Tao (Turtle Island).his own observationalMore recently, records, Scaps (2006) within 8during major areef visit sites to occurTwenty-one in Koh Tao. coral reef fish species not listed in Satapoomin (2000) anda Scaps skate (2006) of the have genus been Himantura found to (Figure 2A) was observed over a Koh Tao, listed a total of 175 species in 44 families of Family Dasyatidae: tofishes Scaps living (2006), on or although near coral Koh reefs Tao down is the to best the studiedlimit of (Family Dasyatidae) sitecoral in growth the Gulf or approximately of Thailand, the30 m list of depth.of fishes According is still sandy bottom in a cave under a submerged coral pinnacle in Tanote Bay, at a depth of 9 m. When observed on the only during one season and also because of the cryptic island, this species is generally found on sandy bottoms incomplete due to the fact that this survey was done or under coral heads or boulders within a close proximity (<150 m) from coral reefs areas ranging in depth from nature of many small fishes. 8–25 m. 1123 Scaps and Scott | Coral reef fishes of Koh Tao chinensis (Figure 3B) was found on coastal algal reef adjacent to the fringing reef of Sairee beach at a depth of 9 m. Multiple individuals have also been observed at the artificial reef site in Mae Haad Bay, generally feedingCallechelys on marmorataalgae and small (Figure tunicates 3C) wasat a depthfound ofburied 6–12 m.in sand with onlyFamily the head Ophichthyidae: protruding the serpent eel Individuals have been found in other areas at a depth of 8 m in the vicinity of Hin Ngam reef. of the same bay and also in Mango Bay, generallyThysanophrys at a depth cf.between chiltonae 7–12 (Figure m, but 3D)occasionally was observed as shallow lying as on 0.5 a m.sandy Family Platycephalidae: the flathead fish Bay. No other reports or observations have been found. bottom at a depth of 11 m at the artificial reef site inPlotosus Tanote lineatus Family Plotosidae: juveniles of the catfish (Figure 3E) were observed in dense ball-shaped, steam-rolling over the sandy bottom at a depth of 16 m in Hin Wong Bay. Similar balls of juveniles have also been Plotosusfound at Mangolineatus Bay at the and island. Ao Leuk Bay, also in sandy/muddy areas at a depth of 9–18 m. There are no reports of adult Bolbometopon muricatum) (Figure 3F) was Family Scaridae: a solitary adult male of humphead parrotfish ( speciesfound over are arare rubble for bottomthe island, at a solitarydepth of individuals 10 m near andthe artificial reef site at Hin Fai. Although sightings of this Figure 1. Map of the study area showing the locations of the sightings groups of up to three individuals have been reported in the vicinity of Ao Leuk and King Kong Rock, usually very close to reef areas. for the photographs shown in Figures 2-4. Codes on the map refer to the figure number and plate letter for each species. Pterois Antennatus russeliiFamily (Figure Scorpaenidae: 3G) was found three on speciessandy substrate of Scorpaenidae under a nummiferFamily Antennariidae: two species of Antennariidae rockwere ledge,found inand Koh has Tao also for been the first observed time. The in lionfishgardens of the were found in Koh Tao for the first time. soft coral Dendronephthya (Figure 2B) was observed in a small crevice in a large (2 m diameter) coral boulder isolated in a sand flat at a depth of 8–30 m. In 2006, about 80 m from the while reef inHistrio Hin Ngam.histrio Two(Figure individuals 2C) was two individuals were also observed at the submerged were observed regularly in the same location for about 8 thegranite area pinnacle in 2007, known and wereas Chumphon not observed Pinnacle, there located again months during 2012 16 km Northwest of the island;Scorpaenopsis they disappeared cf. neglecta from 2013,detected with in no floating prior recordsdebris oror mooringreports. lines at the water (Figure 3H) and Scorpaenopsis cf. ramaraoi (Figure 4A) surface; only 4 individuals have been foundPseudobalistes from 2011– until 2012. The scorpionfishes marginatus Family Balistidae: the triggerfish were observed in sheltered reefs among coral rubble and (Figure 2D) was found over a sandy bottom boulders. These species are cryptic and difficult to observe sandy/rubbleadjacent to an areas, artificial especially reef site in the near vicinity Twin of Peaks Koh Nang at a but can be found in most twosites species around of the Synanceiidae island at a depth were depth of 10 m. The species is generally observed over of 2–30 m. Synanceia cf. verrucosaFamily Synanceiidae: (Figure 4B) was observed partially buried in Yuan, and have also been observed mating/nesting Parachaetodon during found in Koh Tao for the first time. The stonefish ocellatusMarch-April (Figure over several2E) was years observed at Green in Rock. sheltered coral/ Inimicus cf. didactylus (Figure 4C) was observed Family Chaetodontidae: the butterflyfish sand in front of Sairee Beach, at a depth of 14 m while the devilfish rubble areas or near the reef edge at depths rangingCyclichthys from Inimicusamong coral cf. didactylus rubble. These two species are rare at the orbicularis3–14 m. island, and are cryptic. In 2012, a possible mating pair of Family Diodontidae: the pufferfish were observed in the sands adjacent of Dendronephthya has been spp. observed It tends toin be sandy cryptic bottom and solitary, areas, to Hin Ngam reef and, subsequently wereDoryrhamphus observed over janssi a especially around marine debris, sponges, or soft corals period of about 14 days in the same location. Choerodon schoenleinii cavesFamily in the Syngnathidae: vicinity of Twin the pipefish Peaks and Tanote Bay. The (Figureand ranges 3A) in was depth observed from 10–20 on two m. separate occasions at seahorse(Figure 4D) Hippocampus has been foundspinosissimus in reef (Figurecrevices 4E) or hasin smallbeen Family Labridae: the wrasse species is rare for the island, but has also been observed the same location, an area 9 m deep with veryMonacanthus little coral infound the invicinity sandy of bottom Sai Nuan areas and at Twin a depth Peaks.