Parasite biodiversity in a coral reef fish: twelve species of monogeneans on the gills of the grouper Epinephelus maculatus (Perciformes: Serranidae) off New Caledonia, with a description of eight new species of Pseudorhabdosynochus (Monogenea: Diplectanidae)

Parasites were collected from 17 species of emperors and emperor bream (Lethrinidae) in the waters off New Caledonia, South Pacific. Host-parasite and parasite-hosts lists are provided, with a total of 188 host-parasite combinations (11 per fish species), including 81 identifications at the species level. A total of 52 parasites were identified at the species level, and 40 new host records were found. Results are presented for larval isopods, copepods (16 species), monogeneans (24), digeneans (27), cestodes (11) and nematodes (10). When results were restricted to the four best-sampled fish species for which more than 30 specimens were examined, the number of host-parasite combinations was 22.25 per fish species, and the number of parasite taxa identified at the species level was 9.5 per fish species. From these data, the total number of metazoan parasite species predicted from all lethrinid species of New Caledonia, based on a classification of fish sizes using length in three categories, is 340, i.e. 13 per fish species. A biogeographical comparison with Heron Island on the Great Barrier Reef (Queensland, Australia) was possible only for a single fish species, Lethrinus miniatus: in a total of 65 host-parasite combinations, only five taxa identified at the species level (three monogeneans and two digeneans) were shared at both localities. Parasite biodiversity in lethrinids was of similar magnitude to that in groupers (Serranidae Epinephelinae) in the same area, and this study confirms a previous prediction of 10 parasite species per coral reef fish species. Although this study required significant sampling and identification, we estimate that only 13% of the parasites of lethrinids are known in New Caledonia.

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Diplectanum parvus sp. nov. (Monogenea, Diplectanidae) from Cephalopholis urodeta (Perciformes, Serranidae) of New Caledonia

Acta Parasitologica ◽

10.2478/s11686-008-0021-z ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 53 (2) ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Jean-Lou Justine

Keyword(s):

New Species ◽

Coral Reef ◽

Reef Fish ◽

Coral Reef Fish ◽

Male Copulatory Organ ◽

New Caledonia ◽

South Pacific ◽

Copulatory Organ ◽

Small Male

AbstractDiplectanum parvus sp. nov. is described from the coral reef fish Cephalopholis urodeta collected off New Caledonia, South Pacific, and is the first diplectanid described from this fish. The new species has a very small male copulatory organ (24 μm in length) and a minute body (246 μm in length) and is close to D. nanus Justine, 2007 from which it can be distinguished by the shape of dorsal bars and various measurements. These species belong to a group of diplectanids found in groupers (Serranidae, Epinephelinae), characterised by small funnel-shaped male copulatory organs and no sclerotized female organs. The attribution of these parasites to Diplectanum Diesing is provisional. Other parasites are briefly listed.

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An annotated list of fish parasites (Isopoda, Copepoda, Monogenea, Digenea, Cestoda, Nematoda) collected from Snappers and Bream (Lutjanidae, Nemipteridae, Caesionidae) in New Caledonia confirms high parasite biodiversity on coral reef fish

Aquatic Biosystems ◽

10.1186/2046-9063-8-22 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 8 (1) ◽

pp. 22 ◽

Cited By ~ 32

Author(s):

Jean-Lou Justine ◽

Ian Beveridge ◽

Geoffrey A Boxshall ◽

Rodney A Bray ◽

Terrence L Miller ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Coral Reef ◽

Reef Fish ◽

Coral Reef Fish ◽

New Caledonia ◽

Fish Parasites ◽

Annotated List ◽

Parasite Biodiversity ◽

High Parasite

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Initial and mid-term impacts of cyclone Erica on coral reef fish communities and habitat in the South Lagoon Marine Park of New Caledonia

Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom ◽

10.1017/s0025315406014238 ◽

2006 ◽

Vol 86 (5) ◽

pp. 1229-1236 ◽

Cited By ~ 24

Author(s):

Laurent Wantiez ◽

Olivier Chateau ◽

Soazig Le Mouellic

Keyword(s):

Species Richness ◽

Coral Reef ◽

Reef Fish ◽

Coral Reef Fish ◽

New Caledonia ◽

Fish Communities ◽

Live Coral ◽

The South ◽

Marine Park ◽

Density And Biomass

The cyclone Erica (Class 5) hit the South Lagoon Marine Park of New Caledonia on 14 March 2003, in the midst of a survey conducted on coral reef fish and habitat of Larégnère and Crouy reefs. Such perturbation was exceptional for the area. Nine stations had already been sampled (8–11 March 2003) when the cyclone hit the reefs. These stations were sampled again just after the cyclone (23 March–15 April 2003) and 20 months later (14–16 November 2004). Erica had a significant initial impact on habitat characteristics. The fragile coral forms cover (branching, tubular and foliose) decreased significantly, resulting in a loss of habitat for the fish communities. Species richness and biomass of the commercial reef fish and the Chaetodontidae decreased just after Erica, but not the density. The species assemblage was modified on the stations with the lowest remaining live coral cover. The loss of shelter modified the behaviour of potential prey, which constituted unusual shoals and attracted predators. Twenty months after Erica, the habitat had not recovered and the broken coral colonies were transformed into rubble or colonized by algae. The nature of the mid-term impact on the fish communities was different and more significant than the initial impact. Species richness per station, density and biomass were significantly lower than before and just after Erica. This pattern was confirmed for all the main families, with the exception of Acanthuridae. A different fish assemblage was observed on all stations 20 months after Erica. Herbivorous species and benthic macro-invertebrate feeders associated with rubble replaced the coral associated species that characterized the assemblages before the cyclone. When a Class 5 cyclone affects an area where perturbations of such intensity are uncommon, its impact is immediate and the mid-term consequences are even more significant. A complete modification of the structure of the habitat and the fish assemblages is observed. The consecutive recovery should be a long process.

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