First Record of Cephalopholis Sonnerati (Red Coral Grouper) from Gopalpur

Indian Journal of Geo-Marine Sciences Vol 44, No.8 August 2015, pp. 1207-1212

First Record of Cephalopholis sonnerati (Red Coral Grouper) From Gopalpur

Coastal Waters, Bay of Bengal

Durga Prasad Behera1, Debasish Mohapatra1, Subrat Naik1& Rajani Kanta Mishra2 1P.G Department of Marine Sciences, Berhampur University-760007, 2National Centre for Antarctic and Ocean Research, Headland Sada, Vasco-da-Gama, Goa 403 804, India [Email:[email protected]] Received 22 September 2013; revised 13 March 2014

Present study reports the first record of a red coral grouper fish identified as Cephalopholis sonnerati observed during the routine trawl net operation for fishing by a private trawler off Gopalpur coast, Odisha on 6th July 2013. A coral grouper fish naming Cephalopholis sonnerati belonging to the family Serranidae measuring length 270 mm and weight 300 gm was obtained. This fish has not been reported previously from this coastal water.The description, morphometrics and meristic characters of the fish are described in this study.

[Keywords: Red Coral Grouper, Cephalopholis sonnerati, First record, Gopalpur coastal waters.]

Introduction numbers 11. The extensive study of grouper along east Groupers from the Indian coastal waters having coast of India was accomplished from the Gulf of significant contribution towards fishery, mostly after Manner in which all total of 183 species belonging to the extension of trawl operations. It represents one of 51 families has been reported12. Occurrence of the vital resources targeted by coastal fisheries in groupers in the nearshore waters of Vishakhapatnam tropical and subtropical areas which exhibit coast was studied and 16 species of grouper of the behavioral characteristic that makes them vulnerable1- subfamily Epinephelinae were documented13. During 2. The groupers are the top level predatory fish found 2008 one more species of grouper named as in warm water throughout the world3 (Fig. 1). There Epinephelus magniscuttis was collected from the are 15 genera and 159 species are known world wide same habitat14. Recently, there is a new site record of out of them 8 genera and 66 species are exclusively occurrence of Orange spotted Grouper (Hamilton, found in the western Indian Ocean, Red sea and 1822), Brindle Grouper Epinephelus lanceolatus Persian Gulf 3. The most abundant genera in this (Bloch, 1790) and Striped Grouper Epinephelus region are Epinephelus which contributing 68% of latifasciatus (Temminck & Schlegel, 1842) has been known species having high economic importance. It is reported from Digha coast15. But regarding the likely to be a reserved fish occupying caves, cervices occurrence of a tomato grouper in Odisha coast has and ledges 4. The juveniles occur closer to the near not been reported so far16. Thus, the present piece of shore than the adult which require habitat for shelter, research work was related to the first appearance of a food and cleaning station5-7. Relative abundance of tomato grouper or coral grouper Cephalopholis groupers varies among coral reefs at several spatial sonnerati from the coastal waters of Gopalpur, Bay of scales3. In Indian context, the information on grouper Bengal. fish is studied comprehensively resulting much knowledge concerning about distribution, biology and Materials and Methods management of this species8-9. In the west coast of The specimen of the present studywas collected on India, the relative abundance and diversity of grouper 6th July 2013 from trawl operating onthe Gopalpur has been studied indetailed10. Similarly in south coast of Odisha (Fig.2). Morphometric measurement eastern coast, bar grouper belonging to the species was done with Mitutayo Digital Caliper (~ 0.01mm). Hyporthodus octofaciatus has been reported in eight 1208 INDIAN J. MAR. SCI., VOL.44 , NO.8 AUGUST 2015

In order to measure the fish, for research purpose (i) base and their vulnerability / endangered status was total length, (ii) fork length and (iii) standard length checked by IUCN and World Register of Marine are usually considred17. Standard methodology was Species18-20. followed to determine the morphometrics and meristic characters3. Total length was taken by measuring the length started fromsnout to the longest lobeof the tail. Similarly, the fork length was measured from the tips of the longest jaw to the center of the fork of the caudal fin.The standard length is the distance from the tip of the longest jaw to the end of caudal peduncle. Head length was taken from the tip of the snout or upper lip to the posterior edge of the opercula bone. Snout length or pre-orbital length is the dividers from the anterior part of the orbit and the bony oracular margin. Inter-orbital length was taken by the distance between the two dorsal most orbits of the eye. The inter-orbital width was measured as the distance Fig. 1—Map showing the global distribution of Cephalopholis between adjoining edges of the eye across the top of son nerati. the head of the fish. Diameter of the eye is measured as the maximum length of eye orbit from one margin to another. Pre-dorsal length is the length from the snout to the origin of dorsal fin. The pre-pectoral length is the length from snout to origin of pectoral fin. The pre-pelvic length of fish is the length from the snout to origin of the pelvic fin.Pre-anal length is the length from the snout to the origin of anal fin. The depth of the body of fish is the maximum vertical length of body. Head depth of the fish is the approximate length from occiput to the isthmus. Dorsal fin length is length from base of origin of dorsal fin to the tip of the largest dorsal fin. Length of pectoral fin is considred as the length from the base of origin of the pectoral fin to the tip of the largest pectoral fin ray. Pelvic fin length was measured in the length from the base of origin of the pelvic fin to the tip of the largest pelvic fin ray. Anal fin length was considred as the length from base of origin of the dorsal fin to the tip of the largest anal fin ray. Length of caudal fin is the origin of caudal fin to the tip of the longest part of the caudal fin and the same was done. Depth of caudal fin was calculated as caudal height which was the minimum depth on caudal peduncle. Fig. 2—Map showing the sampling station off Gopalpur, Length of dorsal and anal spine was measured from Odisha, India from which a specimen of Cephalopholis the base of spine to tip. Fin rays were counted both sonnerati was collected on 6th July 2013 from crawl net branched and unbranched of dorsal, pectoral, pelvic, operation. anal and caudal fin. Lateral line scales were the number of pored scales in the lateral line.The gill Results and Discussion: rackers were counted on the first gill arch. All The collected specimen is identified as a red coral measurements taken from the recent study was grouper or tomato grouper. The taxonomic compared with information furnished by fish data classification of it is as follows; BEHERA et al.: FIRST RECORD OF A RED CORAL GROUPER FROM GOPALPUR: CEPHALOPHOLIS SONNERATI 1209

Taxonomy Cephalopholis sonnerati (Valenciennes, 1828) Phylum- Chordata Subphylum-Vertebrata Class-Actinopterygii Order -Perciformes Family -Serranidae Subfamily -Epinephelinae Genus - Cephalopholis Species - sonnerati Synonym (S) and Common Names: The synonym of the species are Serranus sonnerati (Cuvier and Valenciennes, 1828 ) Enneacentrus sonnerati (Munro, 1955) Epinephelus sonnerati (Weber and de Beaufort, 1931 )Serranus sonnerati (Day, 1878 ) Cephalopholis purpureus (Fourmanoir, 1966), Epinephelus janthinopterus (Bleeker,1873), Epinephelus sonnerati (Valenciennes, 1828), Epinephelus unicolor (Bleeker,1875), Serranus sonnerati (Valenciennes, 1828), Serranus unicolor (Lienard1874), Serranus zananella (Valenciennes, 1828) and the common names of the species are Red Fig. 3—In-situ photo of Cephalopholis sonnerati at Gopalpur Coral Cod, Red Rockcod, Tomato Grouper, Tomato Jetty collected on 6th July 2013 and Fig. 4—Measurement of Hind, Tomato Rock Cod,Tomato Sea Bass, Vieille Cephalopholis sonnerati showing the entire body with fins and Ananas18-20. arrangement of gill.

Diagnosis: Cephalopholis sonnerati is easily identified by the body and fins are orange-red in colour, presence of numerous white spot on heads and body region (Fig. 2 &3). A pair of moderate canines teeth are present on anteriorly in each jaw (Fig. 5D). The pelvic fin normally reaching or extending beyond the anuswhere the fin tips are blackish in colour (Fig. 6C).The dorsal fin extending over most back of the length (Fig. 6A). The morphometric and meristic characters are given in Table.1. Description: D IX, 13-15; A III, 10; PL II 8; PT 15; C15; Gr 8-13; LI scales 112-120.

Body proportion as percent of total length: The fork length of fish is 98% ,Standard length 78%,Pre anal length 59%, Pre pelvic Length 39% , Head Length 35%, Prepectoral Length31% , Pre Orbital length 9%, Snout length 9%, Pre dorsal Fig. 5— Different body parts of Cephalopholis sonnerati, A- length 31 %, Breadth or body depth of fish 33%, Tail Head region, mouth and eye, B- Mouth part showing teeth and length 17%, Tail width 20%, Caudal height 15% of gill rackers, C- arrangement of gill region, D- Canine teeth and total length (270mm) . Branchistegial ray.

1210 INDIAN J. MAR. SCI., VOL.44 , NO.8 AUGUST 2015

Table.1 . Morphometric and Meristic characters of fish Cephalopholis sonnerati.

Morphometric Characters Length in mm Total length 270 Fork length 265 Standard length 210 Per anal length 160 Pre pelvic length 105 Head length 95

Head Depth 87

Pre pectoral length 85 Pre orbital length 24 Inter Orbital Length 20 Fig. 6—Photographs after preservation in formalin (A- InterOrbitalwidth 17 Dorsal fin, B- Anal fin, C- Pelvic and Pectoral fin, D- Diameter of Eye 12 Caudal fin). Snout length 25 Colour in life: Pre dorsal length 84 Body orange-red, eye blackish, often with scattered Breadth or body depth of fish 89 small whitish patches, head purplish to reddish brown Tail length 45 with numerous close set orange-red spots. Colour of fish in formalin preserved: Uniform Tail width 55 brownish white. Caudal height 40 Distribution: The species Cephalopholis sonnerati is Meristic Characters widespread within Indo-pacific region (Fig.1) a. Dorsal Fin occurring from the east coast of Africa (from Socotra Length 130 to Durban) to the line Island in the central Pacific. In Width 35 the western Pacific, this species ranges from southern Spine 9 number Japan to southern Queensland.It is known from both Ray 13 number continental and insular localities, including most of 21 b. Anal Fin the island in tropical Indian and Pacific Ocean . Length 73 Different species of Cephalopholis also reported from different coastal ecosystem inIndia such as Tamil Width 35 Nadu, Chennai. Lakshadweep, Karnataka, Andaman Spine 3 number and Nicobar Islands, Vishakhapatnam, Kerala coast22- Ray 10 number 24. c.PectoralFin-1&2 Length 60 IUCN status: The IUCN Red List status shows that Width 35 this particular species comes under least concern of version 2013 in IUCN Red List of threatened Spine 0 Species18. Native of FAO marine fishing areas is Ray 15/15 Eastern and Western Indian Ocean, North-West and d.Pelvic-1&2 20 Length 50 Western-central Pacific Ocean . Width 25 Conclusion Spine 2 number Preponderance of a Red Coral Grouper C. Sonnerati Ray 8/8 for the first time at the nearshore waters of Gopalpur coast, Odisha indicated that the coastal region was Lateral Line scale 120 number ideal condition for the reef based organisms. Among Gillrackers Lower limb 8 n umber many reasons, abundance of prey and habitat Upper limb 13 number conducivness can be considred as the possible cause Branchestegial ray 6 number of occurrence of this organism. Further investigation BEHERA et al.: FIRST RECORD OF A RED CORAL GROUPER FROM GOPALPUR: CEPHALOPHOLIS SONNERATI 1211

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