Threatened Fishes of the World: Holacanthus ...

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Environ Biol Fish (2006) 77:97–99 DOI 10.1007/s10641-006-9047-y

THREATENED FISHES OF THE WORLD

Threatened fishes of the world: Holacanthus passer Valenciennes, 1846 (Pomacanthidae) Israel Sa´nchez-Alca´ntara Æ Octavio Aburto-Oropeza Æ Eduardo F. Balart Æ Amı´lcar L. Cupul-Magan˜a Æ He´ctor Reyes-Bonilla Æ Carlos Sa´nchez-Ortiz

Received: 18 October 2005 / Accepted: 20 March 2006 / Published online: 1 July 2006 " Springer Science+Business Media B.V. 2006

´ ngel rey (Spanish), King Common names: A angelfish (English), Demoiselle royale (French). Conservation status: The foremost conservation regulation in Me´xico (Norma Official Mexicana) granted the status of Special Protection to this species in 1996 due to excessive fishing pressure. Its situation was reevaluated 5 years later, and the status was confirmed (NOM-059-SEMARNAT2001). Under Mexican law, a species in this situation can be extracted in limited amounts, and a fishery was open during 2001 and 2002 in the southern Gulf of California, but closed afterwards. The species is not listed in the IUCN Red List, CITES, nor in any other list from international conservation agencies. Identification: Dorsal rays I. Sa´nchez-Alca´ntara Æ O. Aburto-Oropeza Æ H. Reyes-Bonilla (&) Æ C. Sa´nchez-Ortiz Departamento de Biologı´a Marina, Universidad Auto´noma de Baja California Sur, Carretera al Sur km 5.5, Apartado Postal 19–B, La Paz, BCS C.P. 23080, Mexico e-mail: hreyes@uabcs.mx E. F. Balart Centro de Investigaciones Biolo´gicas del Noroeste, S.C., Laboratorio de Ictiologı´a, Apartado Postal 128, La Paz, BCS C.P. 23090, Mexico A. L. Cupul-Magan˜a Centro Universitario de la Costa, Campus Puerto Vallarta. Departamento de Ciencias, Universidad de Guadalajara, Avenida Universidad # 203 Delegacio´n Ixtapa, Puerto Vallarta, Jal C.P. 48280, Mexico

XIV, 18–20; anal rays III, 17–19; pectoral rays 18– 20; lateral line weakly developed; a stout spine on lower edge of cheek. Adults velvety blue-grey with blue scale centre; a narrow white bar on side at level of rear edge of pectoral fin; yellow tail fin; white pelvic fins in males and yellow in females. Juveniles orange-brown with 5–6 narrow blue bars on body side; similar blue bars on head surrounding the eyes (Thomson et al. 2000). Male can reach 390 mm. Distribution: Northern Gulf of California (Cabo Tepoca, Sonora and Los Angeles Bay, Baja California; 29!N) to Peru´, including the Revillagigedos, Gala´pagos, Malpelo and Cocos islands (Robertson and Allen 2002). This fish occurs in diverse habitats from shallow boulders ( <5 m) to deep black coral gardens (>30 m) (Aburto-Oropeza and Balart 2001), but mostly between 0 m and 30 m (Robertson and Allen 2002). Abundance: The species is common in reefs

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of the southeastern Gulf of California (20–25!N) and the Mexican tropical Pacific (Nayarit, Colima, Michoaca´n and Oaxaca; 21–15!N), with densities up to 400 ind/Ha; these figures represent about 2% of the total reef fish fauna of those areas. Individual aggregations of 10 to over 40 individuals can be found throughout the year in the Gulf of California, but are more common in summer. In this region, males are much more common than females (3:1). Habitat and ecology: This species is an omnivorous diurnal grazer that feeds mainly on seaweeds, sponges and crustaceans (Reynolds and Reynolds 1977; Pe´rez-Espan˜a and Abitia-Ca´rdenas 1996; Martı´nez-Dı´az and Pe´rez-Espan˜a 1999). Underwater observations indicate that it may also be a plankton feeder (Strand 1978) and that feces of the damselfish Chromis atrilobata may constitute an important food source in the Gulf of California (Aburto-Oropeza et al. 2000). Reproduction: The King angelfish is partial spawner with asynchronous gonad development. Reproductive season is from April to November in the Gulf of California, coinciding with the highest temperatures (Arellano-Martı´nez et al. 1999). Individuals are protogynous, hence females are smaller than males (modal length 120–280 mm vs. 160–390 mm in La Paz Bay; (Arellano-Martı´nez et al. 1999; Aburto-Oropeza et al. 2000). Juveniles settles fall (August–November) mainly in caves and crevices between 5 m and 10 m depth. They become more territorial in winter and can exhibit cleaning behavior (Thomson et al. 2000). Threats: This species is captured using SCUBA diving and hand nets, with no apparent damage to the surrounding habitat (Pin˜a-Espallargas et al. 2000). Juveniles yield prices of US $200 in the international market, and have become an important target for the aquarium trade in Latin America, especially in Me´xico and Costa Rica (Pe´rez-Espan˜a and Abitia-Ca´rdenas 1996; Pin˜a-Espallargas et al. 2000). Mexican official data reports 727 individuals captured in 2000 and 2001 (data provided by Direccio´n General de Vida Silvestre, Me´xico City). Notwithstanding, the WCMC Global Marine Aquarium Database1 indicates that in the same years, Mexican exports

1

www.unep-wcmc.org/marine/GMAD

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Environ Biol Fish (2006) 77:97–99

to the United States were 3,140 and 1,607 individuals; this is a clear indication of unlawful catch and commercialization. Illegal fishing still exists in the Gulf of California and nearby states (Jalisco and Colima; 18–20!N; Pin˜a-Espallargas et al. 2000) and individuals are known to be exported to the United States under the name of other pomacentrids such as Abudefduf troschelli (HRB personal observations 2004). Conservation recommendations: After the fishing ban, populations showed no further sign of reduction in the Gulf of California; however, no data on current status are available for other Latin American countries. Efforts for conservation in Me´xico include the publication of an identification manual of aquarium fishes for custom officials which will be distributed around the country, and detailed studies of catch and effort, from information provided by fishing cooperatives. It would be recommended that stricter guidelines for population evaluation need to be establishment by federal agencies in the case of future fishing permits. Remarks: The species may be capable of hybridization with the Clario´n angelfish, Holacanthus clarionensis, as reported to occur in Cabo San Lucas, Me´xico (Sala et al. 1999).

References Aburto-Oropeza O, Sala E, Sa´nchez-Ortiz C (2000) Feeding behavior, habitat use and abundance of the angelfish Holacanthus passer (Pomacanthidae) in the southern Sea of Corte´s. Environ Biol Fishes 57:435– 442 Aburto-Oropeza O, Balart EF (2001) Community structure of reef fish in several habitats of a rocky reef in the Gulf of California. Mar Ecol PSZNI 22:283–305 Arellano-Martı´nez M, Ceballos-Va´zquez BP, Garcı´aDomı´nguez F, Galva´n-Magan˜a F (1999) Reproductive biology of the king angelfish Holacanthus passer Valenciennes 1846 in the Gulf of California, Mexico. Bull Mar Sci 65:677–685 Martı´nez-Dı´az SF, Pe´rez-Espan˜a H (1999) Feasible mechanism for algal digestion in the king angelfish. J Fish Biol 55:692–703 Pe´rez-Espan˜a H, Abitia-Ca´rdenas LA (1996) Description of the digestive tract and feeding habits of the King angelfish and the Cortes angelfish. J Fish Biol 48:807– 817 Pin˜a Espallargas R, Reyes Bonilla H, Ortun˜o Manzanares G, Garcı´a Nu´n˜ez NE, Mendoza Vargas L, Gonza´lez Ania LV (2000) Recurso especies marinas de ornato.


Environ Biol Fish (2006) 77:97–99 In: Cisneros Mata MA, Belendez Moreno LF, Zarate Becerra E, Gaspar Dillanes MT, Gonzalez LC, Saucedo Ruiz C, Tovar Avila J, (eds) Sustentabilidad y pesca responsable en Me´xico: Evolucio´n y manejo. IPN-SEMARNAP, Me´xico, D.F. pp 877–914 Reynolds WW, Reynolds LJ (1997) Observations on food habits of the angelfishes, Pomacanthus zonipectus and Holacanthus passer in the Gulf of California. Calif Fish Game 63:124–125 Robertson DR, Allen GR (2002) Fishes of the tropical eastern Pacific. Smithsonian Institution. CD-ROM Versio´n 1.0.0 Sala E, Aburto-Oropeza O, Arreola-Robles JL (1999) Observations of a probable hybrid angelfish of the genus Holacanthus from the Sea of Cortez, Me´xico. Pac Sci 53:181–184

99 SEMARNAT (2002) Norma Oficial Mexicana NOM-059ECOL-2001, Proteccio´n ambiental—Especies nativas de Me´xico de flora y fauna silvestres—Categorı´as de riesgo y especificaciones para su inclusio´n, exclusio´n o cambio—Lista de especies en riesgo. Diario Oficial de la Federacio´n, 2ª seccio´n (Marzo 6, 2002): 95–190 Strand SW (1978) Community structure among reef fish in the Gulf of California: the use of reef space and interspecific foraging associations. Ph.D. Thesis, University of California, Davis. pp 144 Thomson DA, Findley LT, Kerstitch AN (2000) Reef Fishes of the Sea of Cortez: the rocky-shore fishes of the Gulf of California. Revised Edition. University of Texas Press, Austin, pp 353

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