Invasion of the Indo-Pacific blenny Omobranchus punctatus (Perciformes: Blenniidae) on the Atlantic Coast of Central and South America

Abstract

We examined 308 specimens of the Indo-Pacific blenniid Omobranchus punctatus deposited in four museum collections, and analyzed data on their collection locations to assess its invasion on the Atlantic coast of Central and South America. This species occurs in shoreline estuarine and marine habitats in the Indo-West Pacific. Previous sampling and recent records in the Tropical West Atlantic from 1930 to 2004 produced 20 records for: Panamá, Colombia, Venezuela, Trinidad and Brazil. In this work, we provide data on 17 new records for the Gulfs of Venezuela and Paria in Venezuela, as well as four records for Maranhão and Pará states in NE Brazil. The temporal pattern of collections (1930 -2009) and the proximity of most localities to ports and zones of ship traffic indicate that O. punctatus was initially introduced to the Atlantic by ships travelling from India to Trinidad. Within Brazil the introduction is linked to shipping connected to petroleum platforms. In Maranhão and Pará the introduction may have occurred as a result of fish sheltering in fouling on hulls of ships moving between ports around the mouth of the Amazon River. Alternatively, the spread of this species along of the American coast may reflect the expansion of the range of O. puntactus through larval dispersal in northward flowing currents. We recommend monitoring of this introduced species, and studies of its ecology in West Atlantic areas.Nós examinamos 308 espécimes do blenídeo Omobranchus punctatus, de origem Indo-Pacífica, depositados em coleções de quatro museus. Os dados de distribuição foram analisados com o objetivo de avaliar a invasão das águas costeiras do Oceano Atlântico nas Américas do Sul e Central. Em sua área de distribuição original, O. punctatus ocorre em ambientes marinhos e estuarinos. Amostragens datadas de 1930 e de 2004 produziram 20 registros da espécie no Atlântico Oeste tropical, incluindo amostras do Panamá, Colômbia, Venezuela, Trinidade e Brasil. Neste trabalho nós apresentamos 17 novos registros em áreas da Venezuela e nordeste do Brasil. O padrão temporal dos dados ) e a proximidade da maioria das áreas de amostragem a regiões portuárias indicam que a espécie foi inicialmente introduzida no Atlântico pela água de lastro de navios navegando na rota India-Trinidade. No Brasil, a introdução parece estar associada ao movimento de navios em torno das plataformas de petróleo. No Maranhão e no Pará, a introdução está associada ao movimento de navios entre os portos próximos à foz do rio Amazonas. Alternativamente, a expansão de área desta espécie ao longo da costa da América pode ter acontecido através de dispersão larval, acompanhando as correntes em direção ao norte. Nós recomendamos o monitoramento desta espécie, bem como o desenvolvimento de estudos sobre sua ecologia em ambientes do Atlântico ocidental agora ocupados por ela.

Checklist of tidepool fishes from Jericoacoara National Park, southwestern Atlantic, with additional ecological information

“…The exotic species O. punctatus is native to the Indo-Pacific (Springer & Gomon 1975) but is widely dispersed along the Brazilian coast in stabilized populations (e.g., Bahia, Maranhão, Pará , Piauí, Rio de Janeiro and Santa Catarina) (Gerhardinger et al 2006, Lasso-Alcalá et al 2011). However, biological (e.g., fecundity, growth) and ecological (e.g., niche, food habits) data about this invasion are still lacking.…”

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

“…Conversely, even though several cryptobenthic fish families are known to have high potential for biological invasions (Wonham et al, 2000), and several consequential invasions are recorded for freshwater systems [e.g. Neogobius melanostomus (Brandner et al, 2013)], only one report of a successful invasion by a CRF species, the blenny Omobranchus punctatus, exists to date (Lasso-Alcalá et al, 2011). This is true for both natural and artificial marine habitats, which are frequently considered to be a refuge for non-indigenous species .…”

First genetic record of the non‐native muzzled blenny Omobranchus punctatus (Teleostei: Blenniidae) in the Atlantic Coast of Central and South America

“…The red circle in the map represents the locality where this specimen was collected. Yellow circles correspond to localities where the species was previously recorded (see Lasso‐Alcalá et al , for full detailed distribution)…”

“…Therefore, biofouling and ballast water have been identified as the most likely vectors responsible for the introduction and dispersion of this species (Contente et al , ; Gerhardinger et al , ; Golani, ; Lasso‐Alcalá et al , ; Springer & Gomon, ). In this sense, the ever‐increasing magnitude and efficiency of global maritime trade together with the high tolerance of O. punctatus to both a wide range of salinity levels and adverse environmental conditions (Contente et al , ; Gerhardinger et al , ; Lasso‐Alcalá et al , , , ; Lasso‐Alcalá & Lasso, ), suggest possible future introductions of this species to new regions (Briggs, ; Wonham et al , ).…”