Fish Biodiversity of the Vitória-Trindade Seamount Chain, Southwestern Atlantic: An Updated Database

Abstract

Despite a strong increase in research on seamounts and oceanic islands ecology and biogeography, many basic aspects of their biodiversity are still unknown. In the southwestern Atlantic, the Vitória-Trindade Seamount Chain (VTC) extends ca. 1,200 km offshore the Brazilian continental shelf, from the Vitória seamount to the oceanic islands of Trindade and Martin Vaz. For a long time, most of the biological information available regarded its islands. Our study presents and analyzes an extensive database on the VTC fish biodiversity, built on data compiled from literature and recent scientific expeditions that assessed both shallow to mesophotic environments. A total of 273 species were recorded, 211 of which occur on seamounts and 173 at the islands. New records for seamounts or islands include 191 reef fish species and 64 depth range extensions. The structure of fish assemblages was similar between islands and seamounts, not differing in species geographic distribution, trophic composition, or spawning strategies. Main differences were related to endemism, higher at the islands, and to the number of endangered species, higher at the seamounts. Since unregulated fishing activities are common in the region, and mining activities are expected to drastically increase in the near future (carbonates on seamount summits and metals on slopes), this unique biodiversity needs urgent attention and management.

Upper and lower mesophotic coral reef fish communities evaluated by underwater visual censuses in two Caribbean locations

“…), and this clarity may facilitate foraging condition by herbivores, thereby supporting their high abundance on upper MCEs in Bermuda. Pinheiro et al (2015) found analogous communities with several shallow-water species present on MCEs on South American seamounts. Additionally, many coastal species were previously reported in MCE habitats of the Challenger and Argus seamounts, situated 22 and 37 km SW of Bermuda, respectively, with summits reaching *50 m depth (Smith-Vaniz et al 1999;Calder 2000).…”

New records of marine eels (Teleostei: Anguilliformes) from Brazilian waters

“…In the Western Atlantic it is known from Bermuda, North Carolina to Flor ida (USA), and the Caribbean region (Cuba, Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands, Anguilla, Antigua, Barbuda, Saba, Bonaire, and Curaçao) (Williams et al 2010;SmithVaniz & Jelks 2014;Robertson & Van Tassel 2015;Smith & McCosk er 2015). Records from Brazil are from Bahia and Espírito Santo states, as presented by Martins et al (2005), Olavo et al (2007), and Pinheiro et al (2015. However, these authors do not present vouchers or details about the records, and thus, our work has significance in being the first vouchered occurrence data for this species in Brazil.…”

“…A single specimen collected from western Pacific (Solomon Islands) previously identified (Smith 1989a and1989b;Blache 1972; and collections vouchers (BMNH: 1994(BMNH: .11.1.477, 1994(BMNH: .11.1.481, and 1994, from Canary, Cape Verde, and Madeira islands, respectively; MCZ: Ichthyology 100332, from 03°08ʹ30ʺ N, 042°52ʹ30ʺ W, off northern Brazil; Ichthyology 70728, and 70730, from 15°27ʹ N, 026°12ʹ W, off Cabo Verde Islands, and 02°54ʹ S, 008°06ʹ E, off Gabon; NMNH: 111595, 315438 and 426738, from Cuba, Bermuda and Curacao, respectively.Yellow spots, species previously known; red spot, MZUSP 233443 occurrence site. (Dooley et al 1985;Böhlke et al 1989;WilliamS et al 2010;Smith-Vaniz & JelkS 2014;RoBeRtSon & Van taSSel 2015;Smith & mccoSkeR 2015;maRtinS et al 2005;olaVo et al 2007 andand PINHEIRO et al 2015) and examined material. Yellow spots, species previously known records from Eastern and Northern Atlantic; red spots, Brazilian records.…”

A reappraisal of Stegastes species occurring in the South Atlantic using morphological and molecular data

“…Extensively overlapping morphometric characters in Stegastes (including the synonyms Brachypomacentrus Bleeker and Eupomacentrus Bleeker), a morphologically conservative group [22], in addition to cytogenetic [23] and dominant marker similarities [24], reveal uncertainty regarding the taxonomic status and phylogenetic relationships of S. rocasensis, S. sanctipauli and S. trindadensis, and the last was recognized as a synonym of S. fuscus Cuvier 1830 by Gasparini and Floater [16], Carter and Kaufman [25] and Pinheiro et al [26]. Based only on morphological criteria, S. rocasensis and S. sanctipauli have been considered similar to each other and to S. variabilis Castelnau 1855 [22,27].…”