148 analis (Waite) and P.compressa (White). Family Kyphosidae - sea chubs and rudderfishes This family contains about a dozen widespread species. They are thickly built, oval shaped fish which frequent coral reefs and rocky shores in most tropical and subtropical seas. In general, kyphosids are herbivorous, feeding on algae and other marine growth, although some species are planktivorous. The jaws possess incisor-like teeth at the front. These may be serrated, loosely attached and movable, or may be fixed. There are no molars. Other characteristics of this family are the complete, slightly arched lateral line and the single dorsal fin. Many of these fish will often follow ships, hence the common name !rudderfish1. Six species occur in New Zealand. Those found in the Reserve, parore, Girella tricuspidata, silver drummer, typhosus Sydney onus, sweep, Scorpis aequipinnis and blue maomao, S.violaceus, are common northern New Zealand species. The other two, the mado, Atypichthys striagatus, and the bluefish, Girella oyanea, are commonly found around the north-east offshore islands, but are rare on the coast. There is some argument surrounding the classification of the sweep, S.aequipinnis, and blue maomao, 5.violaceus. Many consider them to be different morphs of the same species. Others distinguish them as two different species. The two are similar in appearance and in meristic characteristics such as the numbers of fin rays and lateral line scales. Recently, Smith et al (1979) suggested that they should be treated as two separate species on the basis of electrophoretio analysis, body colour, head shape and the characteristic number of gill rakers. Further studies have indicated they have different life history features and hence will be discussed here as two separate species. 149 Family: Cheilodactylidae Pernpheris adspersa - bigeye, bullseye DESCRIPTION: Bigeyes are small reddish-brown coloured fish. A deep compressed body, short-based dorsal fin and a very large eye help to distinguish these from other fish, especially the slender roughy (Hoplostethus elongatus) which is similar in colour, habitat and mode of life. Juveniles are lighter in colour and not as deep bodied as adults, These fish grow to about 150mm long in coastal waters. Larger fish (up to 200mm long) can be found in the deeper waters of the offshore islands. Adult bigeyes are nocturnal. During the day they shelter in groups of 5-20 fish, under ledges, large boulders and in caves. They may return to the same shelter sites each day. Juveniles up to 40mm long are active during the day. They hover in small groups above rocks or kelp forest, never far from shelter. DISTRIBUTION: General: P.adspersa is only found in New Zealand. It occurs from the Bay of Plenty northwards on rocky reefs, to depths of 70m. Local: Bigeyes are one of the most abundant planktivores in the Reserve. They are found in areas where there is suitable daytime shelter. Highest densities, of up to 3,200 fish per hectare, occur in the shallow broken rock habitat. FEEDING: At night adults leave their shelters and disperse over the reef to feed about 4-5m off the bottom. They feed on the relatively large nocturnal plankters, taking mainly amphipods, mysid shrimps and polychaetes. Bigeyes feed by sight, picking individuals out of the water. The juveniles are too small to feed on the large organisms present at night and are restricted to day-time- feeding. They feed mainly on copepods. LIFE HISTORY: Little is known of the age, growth and age and size at maturity for this species. Spawning has not been observed; however gonads are ripe between November and February. Newly settled juveniles, 10-15mm long, are first noticed around January and continue to settle from the plankton until April. 150 Pempheris adspersa -I 32mrn to 200mm New Zealand distribution Distribution within the Reserve f0* 3750- 1 3000-i 0)o ^ 2250- « a v». 1500-J .a J 750 J I fA // TF^EF ' SG 1 DR Habitat type V. Diet Life history patterns Isopods 7% spawning Crab larvae 5 % Ostracods 3°/0 juveniles 151 Family: Cheilodactylidae Girella iricuspldata - parore, black bream (tricuspidata = three pointed - refers to the teeth) DESCRIPTION: Parore are fast-swimming fishes with broad, muscular tails and compressed-bodies. They are best identified by their silvery-grey bodies with 10-12 dark vertical bars. The mouth is small and each jaw contains small movable teeth with three points. These fish are usually found in loose aggregations of 10-12 fish which move around shallow water kelp beds. They are diurnal and shelter among the weed or in crevices at night. Their colouration changes to a dark olive green marked with large yellow splotches at night. Juveniles are similar in colour to the adults. They are usually found sheltering beneath the algal canopy or swimming close to an adult. Parore grow up to 600mm long. The average size is 300-350mm in length and 0.5-1.0kg in weight. DISTRIBUTION: General: Parore occur in Australia and around the North . Island of New Zealand, where they are most abundant between North Cape and East Cape. It is a common species in inshore rocky reefs, weedbanks and mangrove swamps. The fish are not usually found in waters deeper than 10m, except around the offshore islands where the light penetration is high and they occur to depths of 20m. Local: In the Reserve parore are most abundant in the shallow broken rock habitats, where there is plenty of algal growth. The average density is 270 fish per hectare. They are also found in other habitats, but at relatively low densities - 8-28 fish per ha. FEEDING: G.tricuspidata is herbivorous, taking a mixture of small, turfing red algae and large brown algae. The close-set, tricuspid teeth form a shearing edge which allows fish to bite off a section of plant with a sideways movement of the head. The most intensive feeding activity occurs at dawn and dusk. LIFE HISTORY: No information is available on age and growth. Spawning has been observed in December and the juveniles settle from the plankton over summer. This indicates parore may be spring- summer spawners. 152 Girelia tricuspidata (D.xv.11-12; A.iii.11-12; VJ.5; P. 16; C.17; LI.48-50.) k> 50mm to 600mm V New Zealand distribution Distribution within the Reserve 250 m vx m 200- o 0) x: 150- m •a 100- E 50 z3 JZIZL E3 /71 SBAR 1 RF 1 TF 1 EF 1 SG ' r±rDR i Habitat type V Diet Life history patterns Brown algae spawning 47% juveniles Red algae 53% 153 Family: Cheilodactylidae Kyphosus sydneyanus - Silver drummer (Kyphosus = humped) DESCRIPTION: Silver drummer are similar to parore in form and habit. The body is oval shaped, but is not as strongly compressed as the parore. The head is short with a blunt snout' and a small mouth. There is a single row of fixed teeth in each jaw. Small scales cover the body, and also entirely cover the vertical fins and extend onto the paired fins. The dorsal fin is low and continuous and is able to be depressed into a groove of scales. The body is silvery with darker horizontal lines. Juvenile colouring is usually similar; however, some are olive green with horizontal lines of light brown spots. These assume adult colouration at about 350mm long. Adults can grow up to 600mm and weigh as much as 10kg. These fish usually occur in shallow waters. They are most active at dawn and dusk. During the day they are largely inactive and remain close to shelter, in groups of 3-5 fish. At night they rest in protective crevices. DISTRIBUTION: General: K. sydneyanus occurs in Australia and New Zealand. It is found around the North Island of New Zealand to Cook Strait, but is most common from East Cape to North Cape. The fish prefer exposed, broken rock and algal covered areas and are usually found no deeper than 10m. Local: In the Reserve silver drummer are found in shallow, broken rock areas. They are present in relatively low numbers, densities having been estimated at about 20 fish per hectare. FEEDING: This species is an algal browser. The large brown Carpophyllum algae form the major component of the diet. The smaller, turf forming brown and red algae are also eaten. Silver drummer are powerful swimmers, their streamlined bodies well adapted for foraging in shallow, turbulent waters. They move over the reef using their close-set teeth to take small algal fragments. LIFE HISTORY: Little information ia available on life history- features.. The timing of juvenile settlement, January to April, suggest silver drummer may spawn over late spring and summer. 154 Kyphosus sydneyanus (D.xi.12; A.iii.10; V.i.5; P.17; C.17; LI. 57 - 59.) to 600 mm 50 mm V. Distribution within the Reserve New Zealand distribution A r 25 n 20' o fm 15 - m •a 10 - a> I 5 H SB0R ' RF ' TF ' EF ' SG 1 DR ' Habitat type Diet Life history patterns 155 Family: Cheilodactylidae Scorpis aequipinnis • SWQGp DESCRIPTION: Sweep are very similar to blue rnaomao in appearance, distribution, mode of life and feeding habits. They are bluish-grey, paling to light grey on the belly. Juveniles less than 100mm long are grey with orange spots on the sides of the body and dark edges to the dorsal and caudal fins. Although similar in the number of fin rays and lateral line scales, sweep can be distinguished from blue rnaomao by the relatively deeper body, longer head and a higher number of gill rakers on the first gill arch. Sweep possess 38-45 gill rakers compared with 31-36 for blue rnaomao.