Visual censuses were used to survey shallow-water assemblages of the
Lutjanidae and Lethrinidae among three mid-continental shelf reefs, and fish
traps were used to survey deeper water assemblages below diveable depths.
Significant differences were found in visual censuses of the Lutjanidae and
Lethrinidae among reefs. Trap catches of the Lutjanidae and Lethrinidae varied
more between depths and diel sampling periods than among reefs or over time.
Lutjanus carponotatus,
L. fulviflamma and
Lethrinus miniatus were more abundant in shallow trap
sets, whereas Lutjanus adetii,
L. russelli, L. sebae,
L. vitta, Gymnocranius audleyi,
Lethrinus sp.2 and
Abalistes stellaris were more abundant in deeper sets.
Additionally, Lutjanus adetii,
L. fulviflamma,
L. quinquelineatus, L. russelli,
L. sebae, L. vitta and
Lethrinus miniatus were more abundant at night, whereas
Lethrinus sp. 2,
Abalistes stellarisand
Plectropomus leopardus were more abundant during the
day. The absence of significant temporal variation in the observed spatial
patterns both among reefs and between depths indicates that these patterns may
persist through time. The use of both visual censuses and fish traps to assess
reef fish assemblages may provide an objective way of repeatedly censusing
reefs for monitoring purposes, especially where differences among reefs and
regions are important.
Effect of different kinds of live feed on thyroid structure of marine fish larvae coral trout Plectropomus leopardus (Lacepède, 1802)