Queen Triggerfish Reproductive Biology in U.S. Caribbean Waters

Hernández, Jesús M. Rivera; Alvarado, Noemi Peña; Vélez, Karlen Correa; Nemeth, Richard S.; Appeldoorn, Richard S.; Shervette, Virginia R.

doi:10.1002/tafs.10124

Cited by 7 publications

(24 citation statements)

References 42 publications

(65 reference statements)

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“…The second factor that makes comparisons between the populations difficult is that samples were obtained using different gears; fish from the west were collected with a combination of traps and hook‐and‐line and fish from the east were collected with trawls. Several studies have noted the impacts of gear selectivity on estimates related to size, age and growth in triggerfishes (Allman et al ., 2018; Rivera Hernández et al ., 2019; Thomas, 2018). One way to reduce gear‐related biases of population estimates is to combine samples caught by multiple gears (Allman et al ., 2018; Wilson et al ., 2015).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Age and growth of grey triggerfish Balistes capriscus from trans‐Atlantic populations

Shervette

Hernández

Nunoo

2021

Journal of Fish Biology

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Anthropogenic factors that negatively impact reef fishes can include changes in life‐history patterns of fisheries‐targeted species. Understanding these impacts on growth and population age structure is essential in the management of exploited populations of fishes. This is the first study to directly compare age and growth for a major fisheries species between east and west populations of a transatlantic reef fish. The main goal of this study was to document age and growth in grey triggerfish Balistes capriscus from coastal waters of Ghana in the Gulf of Guinea (GOG) and compare those with the previous growth studies from that region and with the western Atlantic population. A secondary objective of this study was to evaluate the use of otoliths to age triggerfish and to provide a preliminary comparison with spine‐derived age estimates. The results obtained from this study provided an updated understanding of the growth and age structure of the eastern B. capriscus population in GOG. The authors documented that shifts in population attributes occurred for B. capriscus after its major decline in abundance. The differences in physical and biotic characteristics of the East and West Atlantic regions and the differences in collection methods of samples make direct comparisons of growth parameters difficult. Nonetheless, overall differences in maximum sizes and ages were apparent; the western Atlantic population had a larger maximum size and older maximum age. The authors also documented that sagittal otoliths can be used to provide age estimates for triggerfish species, and otoliths as an ageing structure had better between‐reader precision compared to dorsal spines.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Age and growth of grey triggerfish Balistes capriscus from trans‐Atlantic populations

Shervette

Hernández

Nunoo

2021

Journal of Fish Biology

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“…All gonads remained in formalin for a minimum of 7 days then were transferred to 70% isopropyl alcohol. Standard histological procedures for gonad preparation were followed (Kelly-Stormer et al 2017;Rivera Hernández et al 2019). Gonads were dehydrated and vacuum-infiltrated with paraffin wax in an overnight tissue processor then embedded in paraffin blocks.…”

Section: Sex and Maturity Determinationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Princess parrotfish Scarus taeniopterus age, growth, maturity, and transition

2021

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Princess parrotfish Scarus taeniopterus is one of the top three parrotfish species landed in the Caribbean, and the top Scarus species targeted in commercial fishing efforts; however, a paucity of information exists concerning basic life history information for Caribbean parrotfish species. Prior to this work, no comprehensive life history information existed in the literature for princess parrotfish. This study provides the first comprehensive documentation of age, growth, size/age at sexual maturity, and size/age at transition for a Caribbean Scarus species. Sampling of 759 fish occurred in Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands from October 2015 to February 2020. Females ranged from 50 to 250 mm total length (TL) and 0 to 7 years of age, males ranged from 159 to 314 mm TL and 2 to 11 years, and transitional fish ranged from 140 to 292 mm TL and 2 to 6 years. Previously unknown von Bertalanffy parameters (L ∞ = 301 and k = 0.316) and length at median sexual maturity (LM 50 = 119 mm TL), age at median sexual maturity (AM 50 = 1.5 years), length at median sexual transition (LS 50 = 223 mm TL), and age at median sexual transition (AS 50 = 4.2 years) will enable stock assessments and informed management for this Caribbean parrotfish.

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“…Their reproductive strategy includes paired spawning, demersal eggs, territorial nests, and parental care (Kawase 2002, Clark et al 2015. Queen triggerfish are sexually dimorphic, with 50% of males reaching sexual maturity at significantly smaller sizes (21.1 cm fork length, FL) than females (24.5 cm FL) (Hernández et al 2019). In the Caribbean Sea, they are indeterminate batch spawners, and females may spawn up to 5 times a year (Hernández et al 2019).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Queen triggerfish are sexually dimorphic, with 50% of males reaching sexual maturity at significantly smaller sizes (21.1 cm fork length, FL) than females (24.5 cm FL) (Hernández et al 2019). In the Caribbean Sea, they are indeterminate batch spawners, and females may spawn up to 5 times a year (Hernández et al 2019). In the Gulf of Mexico, male gray triggerfish B. capriscus build, maintain, and guard demersal nests during a summer spawning period while females tend the eggs (Simmons & Szedlmayer 2012).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Acoustic tracking and conventional tagging studies have indicated that gray triggerfish have high site fidelity and residency rates (Ingram & Patterson 2001, Herbig & Szedlmayer 2016. Anecdotal information also suggests that queen triggerfish aggregate at nesting sites where they reproduce (Kadison et al 2009, Kobara et al 2013, Hernández et al 2019, but very little is known about their movement behaviors, including home range sizes, spawning activity, and migratory pathways.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Home range and spawning migration patterns of queen triggerfish Balistes vetula in St. Croix, US Virgin Islands

Bryan

Feeley

Nemeth

et al. 2019

Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser.

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Queen triggerfish Balistes vetula are an ecologically and economically important species associated with coral reefs throughout the tropical Atlantic Ocean. To better understand spatial and temporal movement patterns and help determine the effectiveness of a no-take marine reserve (Buck Island Reef National Monument, BIRNM), 55 queen triggerfish were surgically implanted with acoustic transmitters and tracked for 434.6 ± 27.3 d (mean ± SE) within a large acoustic array in St. Croix, US Virgin Islands. Queen triggerfish displayed high site fidelity within the reserve during non-spawning months. Home range sizes, as measured by 95% minimum convex polygons and kernel utilization distributions, averaged 2.44 ± 0.30 and 3.34 ± 0.17 km 2 , respectively. High site fidelity was interrupted briefly during full moons from November to March (2015March ( -2017, when 22% of the tagged population (n = 12) undertook repeated migrations to a nesting area located approximately 12 km from BIRNM. During the same-season spawning periods, 5 other fish were exclusively detected at a receiver station within the reserve, indicating a possible local nesting area and resident (non-migratory) contingent of queen triggerfish. The high site fidelity of queen triggerfish during non-spawning months coupled with the discovery of a resident spawning population highlights the importance of BIRNM as a potential refuge from local fishing pressures. This study provides improved understanding of queen triggerfish movement ecology, an extremely valuable asset for the development of spatial management strategies throughout their range.

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Queen Triggerfish Reproductive Biology in U.S. Caribbean Waters

Cited by 7 publications

References 42 publications

Age and growth of grey triggerfish Balistes capriscus from trans‐Atlantic populations

Age and growth of grey triggerfish Balistes capriscus from trans‐Atlantic populations

Princess parrotfish Scarus taeniopterus age, growth, maturity, and transition

Home range and spawning migration patterns of queen triggerfish Balistes vetula in St. Croix, US Virgin Islands

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