Composition and temporal dynamics of a temperate rocky cryptobenthic fish assemblage

Beldade, Ricardo; Erzini, Karim; Gonçalves, Emanuel João

doi:10.1017/s0025315406014226

Cited by 14 publications

(9 citation statements)

References 34 publications

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“…Two studies on cryptobenthic fish communities geographically closest to the Mediterranean were performed on the Atlantic coast of Portugal. Beldade et al (2006) used only interference visual census with depth limits of 9.5 m, while Beldade and Gonçavles (2007) combined interference visual census with limited use of the anaesthetic Quinaldine with depth limits of 11.2 m. The qualitative studies of cryptobenthic fish communities in the Mediterranean were limited to the infralittoral zone and only one (Patzner 1999) reached 40 m depth, a depth similar to the present study. The qualitative studies of Patzner (1999) were performed in Ibiza, in the western Mediterranean Sea, using SCUBA diving and the anaesthetic Quinaldine, and it showed a high match in species composition with Adriatic researches.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 67%

“…To gain a full understanding of how a fish assemblage is composed and structured on hard littoral bottoms, a study of small cryptobenthic and epibenthic species using destructive techniques is required. Quantitative studies on cryptobenthic fish communities are surprisingly rare worldwide and restricted to coastal reefs with depths of mainly 15 to 20 m (Prochazka 1998, Ackerman and Bellwood 2000, 2002, Willis 2001, Depczynski and Bellwood 2003, Smith-Vaniz et al 2006, Beldade et al 2006, Beldade and Gonçavles 2007, Kovačić et al 2012. No quantitative research on cryptobenthic fish has been performed at or below 40 m depth (Kovačić et al 2012), while only recently the methodology for the quantitative research at circalittoral depths was proposed by Glavičić and Kovačić (2016).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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A quantitative assessment of the cryptobenthic fish assemblage at deep littoral cliffs in the Mediterranean

et al. 2016

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Summary:The present study provides the first quantitative assessment of cryptobenthic fish species diversity and abundance on hard bottoms below 20 m depth by examining Mediterranean underwater reefs with deep vertical cliffs. Quantitative sampling was performed at depths down to about 45 m and yielded 220 cryptobenthic and 61 epibenthic individuals belonging to 21 species, showing that the cryptobenthic fishes highly outnumbered the epibenthic individuals. The study highlights the high diversity and abundance of this unexplored part of the benthic fish community. The cryptobenthic fish assemblage was dominated by the family Gobiidae in terms of both biodiversity (>60% of all species) and abundance (>90% of all specimens). Fish species previously considered rare were present and some of them were even numerous in this assemblage. Three out of fourteen recorded habitat variables (depth, rocky cliff surface area vs. the bottom of the cliff area, and the presence of sand as the bottom substrate) were identified as significant for species occurrence. Species were generalist in their choice of shelters since the size and quantity of semi-caves, caves, cavities and even bio-cover type had no significant influence on the species distribution and abundance.Keywords: cryptobenthic fishes; multivariate analysis; benthos; littoral zone; underwater cliffs; scuba diving. Evaluación cuantitativa de la comunidad de peces criptobenónicos en los acantilados profundos del litoral MediterráneoResumen: Este trabajo presenta una primera evaluación cuantitativa de la diversidad y abundancia de los peces criptobentónicos de fondos duros por debajo de 20 m de profundidad, como ejemplo de acantilados litorales sumergidos del Mediterráneo. Se realizó un muestreo a profundidades cercanas a 45 m de profundidad y se obtuvieron 220 individuos criptobentònicos y 61 epibentónicos pertenecientes a 21 especies. El estudio pone de manifiesto la gran diversidad y abundancia de esta fracción inexplorada de la comunidad de peces bentónicos. La familia Gobiidae domina la comunidad de peces criptobentónicos en biodiversidad y abundancia (>60% y >90% del total de especies respectivamente). Se han observado especies de peces de este grupo consideradas raras, incluso algunas son numerosas. Tres de cada 14 variables registradas del hábitat (profundidad, superficie rocosa del acantilado vs fondo del acantilado y presencia de arena en el sustrato del fondo) fueron significativas para la presencia de las especies. En la elección de los refugios las especies fueron generalistas ya que el tamaño y la cantidad de semicuevas, cuevas, cavidades e incluso tipos de cubierta biológica no tienen influencia significativa en la distribución y abundancia de las especies.Palabras clave: peces criptobentónicos; análisis multivariante; bentos; zona litoral; acantilados sumergidos; submarinismo.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 67%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A quantitative assessment of the cryptobenthic fish assemblage at deep littoral cliffs in the Mediterranean

et al. 2016

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“…Miller (, p. 263) defined CRFs as a group for which ‘small body size permits exploitation of restricted habitats, where food and shelter are obtained, in, or in relation to, conditions of substrate complexity and/or restricted living space’, a definition widely used thereafter (Patzner, ; Beldade, Erzini & Gonçalves, ). Two more recent qualitative definitions exist, focussing on the importance of small body size (Depczynski & Bellwood, ) and position in relation to the benthos (Kovačić, Patzner & Schliewen, ).…”

Section: Defining Crfsmentioning

confidence: 99%

The hidden half: ecology and evolution of cryptobenthic fishes on coral reefs

et al. 2018

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Teleost fishes are the most diverse group of vertebrates on Earth. On tropical coral reefs, their species richness exceeds 6000 species; one tenth of total vertebrate biodiversity. A large proportion of this diversity is composed of cryptobenthic reef fishes (CRFs): bottom-dwelling, morphologically or behaviourally cryptic species typically less than 50 mm in length. Yet, despite their diversity and abundance, these fishes are both poorly defined and understood. Herein we provide a new quantitative definition and synthesise current knowledge on the diversity, distribution and life history of CRFs. First, we use size distributions within families to define 17 core CRF families as characterised by the high prevalence (>10%) of small-bodied species (<50 mm). This stands in strong contrast to 42 families of large reef fishes, in which virtually no small-bodied species have evolved. We posit that small body size has allowed CRFs to diversify at extremely high rates, primarily by allowing for fine partitioning of microhabitats and facilitation of allopatric reproductive isolation; yet, we are far from understanding and documenting the biodiversity of CRFs. Using rates of description since 1758, we predict that approximately 30 new species of cryptobenthic species will be described per year until 2050 (approximately twice the annual rate compared to large fishes). Furthermore, we predict that by the year 2031, more than half of the described coral reef fish biodiversity will consist of CRFs. These fishes are the 'hidden half' of vertebrate biodiversity on coral reefs. Notably, global geographic coverage and spatial resolution of quantitative data on CRF communities is uniformly poor, which further emphasises the remarkable reservoir of biodiversity that is yet to be discovered. Although small body size may have enabled extensive diversification within CRF families, small size also comes with a suite of ecological challenges that affect fishes' capacities to feed, survive and reproduce; we identify a range of life-history adaptations that have enabled CRFs to overcome these limitations. In turn, these adaptations bestow a unique socio-ecological role on CRFs, which includes a key role in coral reef trophodynamics by cycling trophic energy provided by microscopic prey to larger consumers. Although small in body size, the ecology and evolutionary history of CRFs may make them a critical component of coral-reef food webs; yet our review also shows that these fishes are highly susceptible to a variety of anthropogenic disturbances. Understanding the consequences of these changes for CRFs and coral reef ecosystems will require us to shed more light on this frequently overlooked but highly diverse and abundant guild of coral reef fishes.

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“…Sampling sites were located at the Arrábida Marine Park (hereafter AMP) in central Portugal (Figure ), which is part of the Western Iberian upwelling ecosystem, a wind‐driven eastern boundary upwelling system (Cunha, ; Fiúza, Macedo, & Guerreiro, ; Moita, ; Wooster, Bakun, & McLain, ). A southern oriented steep coast protects the AMP from prevailing northerly and north‐westerly winds and waves (Beldade, Erzini, & Gonçalves, ), allowing frequent sampling in the nearshore areas.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Small scale temporal patterns of recruitment and hatching of Atlantic horse mackerel (L.) at a nearshore reef area

Klein

Beveren

Diana

et al. 2018

Fisheries Oceanography

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Atlantic horse mackerel (Trachurus trachurus, Linnaeus, 1758) is a highly exploited species, common throughout the North‐East Atlantic. As a pelagic‐neritic fish it typically occurs over the shelf from the surface to 200 m deep on sandy bottoms. Most research has focused on distributions of adults or early life stages (eggs and larvae) of this species in offshore waters and only a few studies have reported the occurrence of early stages near the coast. However, these nearshore environments might be important for the early growth and survival of the Atlantic horse mackerel. In addition, little is known on how environmental processes might affect the early stages of this species. Here, we monitored weekly recruitment of horse mackerel to artificial substrates (SMURFS) deployed near the coast at both the surface and near the bottom, and back‐calculated hatching cohorts. The relationship of both recruitment and hatching patterns with environmental factors was investigated. From a total of 2,515 fish, 2,490 (99%) recruited to surface SMURFS. A GAM and GAMM analysis of the recruitment and hatching patterns, respectively, revealed a strong relationship with the lunar cycle and upwelling. Both recruitment and hatching showed lunar periodicity, with peaks near the new moon and revealed to be influenced negatively by upwelling. This study suggests that the nearshore environment might be an important nursery area for post‐larval and early juvenile Atlantic horse mackerel.

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Composition and temporal dynamics of a temperate rocky cryptobenthic fish assemblage

Cited by 14 publications

References 34 publications

A quantitative assessment of the cryptobenthic fish assemblage at deep littoral cliffs in the Mediterranean

A quantitative assessment of the cryptobenthic fish assemblage at deep littoral cliffs in the Mediterranean

The hidden half: ecology and evolution of cryptobenthic fishes on coral reefs

Small scale temporal patterns of recruitment and hatching of Atlantic horse mackerel (L.) at a nearshore reef area

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