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Coral Reef Fish Biology

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Coral Reef Fish Biology OEB 130: BIOLOGY OF FISHES Lecture 20: Coral reef fishes Outline Labs in the NW lab, this Thurs./Friday (wear older clothes if possible, although we’ll have plastic aprons too) Lecture outline: • Overview of coral reef habitats • Diversity of fishes on coral reefs Brief review of major groups covered so far Some additional important Percomorpha families on the reef • Coral reef fish biology: some key issues Invasive species Loss of reef area and damage to reef habitats The value of marine reserves for fish populations Some aspects of reproduction by reef fishes Cleaner fishes and cleaning stations Mimicry Florescent fishes Overview of coral reef habitats Coral reefs are diverse and complex fish habitats; ~ 8,000 species of fishes on reefs worldwide Overview of coral reef habitats Corals grow in the tropical regions where water stays ~ 20 deg C. Overview of coral reef habitats • Very specific requirements: • Coral likes areas with some – Temperature: 73-75F waves: – Depth: sea surface to – They are strong enough ~ 200 feet to withstand the pressure – Salinity: Normal salt – New supply of ocean levels (35ppt) water means more food – Light: Zooxanthellae – Waves remove silt need light to survive – New water brings more – Sedimentation: Being oxygen covered with silt interferes with photosynthesis – Desiccation: being exposed to air. Most coral will die if exposed too long Overview of coral reef habitats Types of reefs: (1) fringe reefs Overview of coral reef habitats Types of reefs: (2) Barrier reefs Overview of coral reef habitats The Great Barrier Reef Overview of coral reef habitats Types of reefs: (3) Atoll reefs Overview of coral reef habitats Atoll Reef Fulanga (in Figi) Overview of coral reef habitats Atoll Formation: Darwin first understood this process Overview of coral reef habitats Atoll Formation: Darwin (1842) first understood this process “Fringing-reefs are thus converted in to barrier-reefs; and barrier-reefs, when encircling islands, are thus converted into atolls, the instant the last pinnacle of land sinks beneath the surface of the ocean.” Darwin, 1842 Overview of coral reef habitats A great diversity of habitats in coral reefs Overview of coral reef habitats Many niches may facilitate evolutionary specialization and diversification Alfaro, M. E., Santini, F. and Brock, C. D. (2007). Do reefs drive diversification in marine teleosts? Evidence from the pufferfish and their allies (Order Tetraodontiformes). Evol. 61, 2104-2126. Overview of coral reef habitats Many niches may facilitate evolutionary specialization and diversification Alfaro, M. E., Santini, F. and Brock, C. D. (2007). Do reefs drive diversification in marine teleosts? Evidence from the pufferfish and their allies (Order Tetraodontiformes). Evol. 61, 2104-2126. Overview of coral reef habitats Many niches may facilitate evolutionary specialization and diversification Alfaro, M. E., Santini, F. and Brock, C. D. (2007). Do reefs drive diversification in marine teleosts? Evidence from the pufferfish and their allies (Order Tetraodontiformes). Evol. 61, 2104-2126. Diversity of fishes on coral reefs A key feature of coral reefs: very high biodiversity Recall acanthomorph relationships Diversity of fishes on coral reefs Some of the major groups of fishes on reefs: • Beryciformes (soldierfishes, squirrelfishes) • Syngnathiformes (pipefishes, seahorses) • Scorpaeniformes (scorpionfishes, lionfishes) • Tetraodontiformes (triggerfishes, boxfishes, porcupine fishes) • Labroidei: Labridae (wrasses); Scaridae (parrotfishes) • Gobioidei: gobies • Blennioidei: blennies • Pomacentridae (damselfishes, anemonefishes) • Carangidae (jacks) • Serranidae (groupers, sea basses) • Lutjanidae (snappers); Sparidae (porgies) • Haemulidae (grunts); Sciaenidae (drums, croakers) • Mullidae (goatfishes); Chaetodontidae (butterflyfishes) • Pomacanthidae (angelfishes), • Acanthuridae (surgeonfishes), • Ephippidae (spadefishes); Zanclidae (moorish idols) The Percomorpha– more detailed branching Xiphiformes Pleuronectiformes Billfishes, (flatfishes) swordfishes (pp. 223-226) Carangids (jacks) Anabantoids barracudas Swampeels etc. (pp. 173-174) Gobies, Many more Cardinalfishes (pp. 218-222) (Next phylogeny (Next phylogeny slide) Carangiformes (jacks and relatives) Tunas, seahorses and relatives Diversity of fishes on coral reefs: most are Percomorpha The Percomorpha – more detailed branching Mullets, Surfperches Pomacentridae Blennies (pp. 214-217) (Damselfishes) Cichlidae Atherinomorpha (pp. 205-208) (cichlids) (silversides, Clingfishes (pp. 200-204) needlefishes, (pp. 142-143) live-bearing fishes (pp. 144-156) Many Many more (Next phylogeny (Next phylogeny slide) Eupercaria Jacks and relatives, flatfish, labyrinth fishes, and others Diversity of fishes on coral reefs: most are Percomorpha Ovalentaria: a very important clade The Percomorpha – more detailed branching Snailfish, Sticklebacks, Groupers Sculpins (pp. 171-172) Icefishes (pp. 175-180) (pp. 195-199) Zoarcids Kyphosidae Sunfishes Hawkfishes (Sea chubs) Wrasses, parrotfishes, and relatives Many more (pp. 209-213) (Next phylogeny (Next phylogeny slide) Some Scorpaeniform perch-like fishes fishes Ovalentaria Diversity of fishes on coral reefs: most are Eupercaria Percomorpha The Percomorpha – more detailed branching Lophiiformes (anglerfishes) (pp. 137-141) Tetraodontiforms Butterflyfishes Sparidae (puffer fishes Lutjanidae and relatives) (Angelfishes) (pp. 227-231) Haemulidae Sciaenidae Pomacanthidae Surgeonfish Sunfishes and some other perch-like fishes Scorpaeniform fishes Diversity of fishes on coral reefs: most are Percomorpha Acanthopterygii: Percomorpha: Pomacentridae • Pomacentridae: damselfishes, clownfishes, anemonefishes (~390 species) • Tropical and primarily indo-pacific, very colorful Acanthopterygii: Percomorpha: Pomacentridae • Pomacentridae: damselfishes, clownfishes, anemonefishes (~390 species) • Tropical and primarily indo-pacific, very colorful Acanthopterygii: Percomorpha: Sparidae • Sparidae: porgies, scup, bream, sheepshead (~140 species) • Atlantic, Indian, and pacific; marine tropical to temperate, some ok in brackish waters • Important food fish Acanthopterygii: Percomorpha: Haemulidae Agassiz fish story: "When do you wish to begin?" he asked. "Now," I replied. This seemed to please him, and with an energetic "Very well!" he reached from a shelf a huge jar of specimens in yellow alcohol. "Take this fish," he said, "and look at it; we call it a haemulon; by and by I will ask what you have seen." • Haemulidae: grunts (132 species) • Marine, brackish waters Acanthopterygii: Percomorpha: Sciaenidae Spotted drum • Sciaenidae: drums, croakers (291 species) • Marine, brackish, and freshwater; produce loud sounds with the swimbladder Acanthopterygii: Percomorpha: Mullidae • Mullidae: goatfishes (~85 species) • Marine, brackish waters; barbels used for benthic food location • Not mullets! Mullets (Mugilidae) are in the Ovalentaria • Related to seahorses and pipefishes: early offshoot of this clade Acanthopterygii: Percomorpha: Chaetodontidae • Chaetodontidae: butterflyfishes (131 species) • Atlantic, Indian, and pacific waters; body laterally compressed • Bright coloration, eyespot often present, usually live in shallow waters • Some species have a specialized lateral line-swimbladder connection Acanthopterygii: Percomorpha: Chaetodontidae Acanthopterygii: Percomorpha: Chaetodontidae Have a specialized lateral line-swimbladder connection Acanthopterygii: Percomorpha: Chaetodontidae Butterfly fishes have a special connection between the lateral line and the swimbladder – all 3 systems are interconnected Webb, J. and Smith, W. (2000). The laterophysic connection in chaetodontid butterflyfish: morphological variation and speculations on sensory function. Phil. Trans. Royal Soc. B: Biol. Sci. 355: 1125. Acanthopterygii: Percomorpha: Chaetodontidae Acanthopterygii: Percomorpha: Lutjanidae • “snappers” • Marine tropical • 109 species • Important food fishes Acanthomorpha: Ophiidiformes (pearlfishes; cusk eels) Pearlfish often live in association with marine invertebrates, such as sea cucumbers, entering and leaving through the anus. This group is at the base of the Percomorpha; a number of deep-sea species too; ~260 total species Acanthopterygii: Percomorpha: Pomacanthidae • Pomacanthidae: angelfishes (88 species) • Marine, shallow tropical waters; colorful • Color may change dramatically from young to adult • Not the freshwater angelfish, which is a cichlid! Acanthopterygii: Percomorpha: Pomacanthidae adult young Juvenile and adult coloration can be quite different in reef fishes Acanthopterygii: Percomorpha: Pomacanthidae adult young Juvenile and adult coloration can be quite different in reef fishes Acanthopterygii: Percomorpha: Acanthuridae (~85 species) Doctorfish/surgeonfish/tangs (Acanthurus chirurgus): some biology Acanthurus is derived from the Greek "acantha" which means thorn, and the Greek "oura" which means tail. Distribution This is the most wide-ranging of the species of Acanthurus in the Atlantic and is found from Massachusetts to Brazil, including the northern Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean. It can also be found along the tropical western coast of Africa. Biology Of particular interest is the sharp, scapel-like spine that is located on each side of the body on the caudal peduncle. This spine can be extended and used to fend off aggressive encounters. Its teeth, specialized for scraping algae, are spatula-like in shape, close together, and notched on the edges. Acanthopterygii: Percomorpha:
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