Relations between fish length to weight, and otolith length and weight, of the lionfish Pterois volitans in the Parque Nacional Arrecife Alacranes, southern Gulf of Mexico

Abstract

Abstract.-Described are the relations between fish length to weight, and otolith length and weight, of the lionfish (Pterois volitans) collected by diver-fishermen volunteers between 2011 and 2013 in a natural protected area (Parque Nacional Arrecife Alacranes) off the northern Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico. High correlations were detected between fish length and otolith length. Significant differences in the length-weight relations were found for males and females. Length of lionfish can be estimated from otolith length and weight. This study will be helpful in diet content studies of potential predators of lionfish helping to discern the size of lionfish consumed when otoliths are found in stomachs of predators.

Spatial variation in allometric growth of invasive lionfish has management implications

“…1. Study sites included North Carolina, the Northern and Southern Gulf of Mexico, the Southern Mexican Caribbean, the Bahamas, Little Cayman, Jamaica, Bonaire, Puerto Rico, and Costa Rica (Barbour et al, 2011; Darling et al, 2011; de Leon et al, 2013; Fogg et al, 2013; Dahl & Patterson, 2014; Edwards, Frazer & Jacoby, 2014; Toledo-Hernández, 2014; Sandel et al, 2015; Aguilar-Perera & Quijano-Puerto, 2016; Sabido-Itza et al, 2016; Sabido-Itzá, Aguilar-Perera & Medina-Quej, 2016; Chin, Aiken & Buddo, 2016). We have access only to the summarized information published in these studies—not the raw data authors used to make length-weight calculations.…”

Peer Review #1 of "Spatial variation in allometric growth of invasive lionfish has management implications (v0.2)"

“…We reviewed 12 published studies and obtained 17 length-weight relationships for the Western Atlantic (n = 2), Gulf of Mexico (n = 7), and Caribbean (n = 8, Table 1, Fig 1). Study sites included North Carolina, the Northern and Southern Gulf of Mexico, the Southern Mexican Caribbean, the Bahamas, Little Cayman, Jamaica, Bonaire, Puerto Rico, and Costa Rica (Barbour et al, 2011;Darling et al, 2011;de Leon et al, 2013;Fogg et al, 2013;Dahl and Patterson, 2014;Edwards et al, 2014;Toledo-Hernández, 2014;Sandel et al, 2015;Aguilar-Perera and Quijano-Puerto, 2016;Sabido-Itza et al, 2016;Sabido-Itzá et al, 2016;Chin et al, 2016). We have access only to the summarized information published in these studies -not the raw data authors used to make length-weight calculations.…”

“…Only two studies reported sex-specific length-weight parameters (Aguilar-Perera and Quijano-Puerto, 2016; Fogg et al, 2013), so we assumed data were reported for both sexes combined in all other studies. Reviewed studies presented information for organisms ranging from 25-475 mm in Total Length (T L) and were obtained at depths between 0.5 m and 57 m. Four studies explicitly stated that their organisms were sampled with pole spears (Dahl and Patterson, 2014;Aguilar-Perera and Quijano-Puerto, 2016;Chin et al, 2016;Sabido-Itzá et al, 2016), and six studies mentioned that some of their organisms were obtained with pole spears (or other type of harpoon) but also hand-held nets or fish traps (Barbour et al, 2011;Fogg et al, 2013;Edwards et al, 2014;Toledo-Hernández, 2014;Sandel et al, 2015;Sabido-Itza et al, 2016).…”

Untitled

“…Only two studies reported parameters for each gender (Aguilar-Perera and Quijano-Puerto, 2016; Fogg et al, 2013), so we assumed both genders were included in a study if gender was unspecified. Reviewed studies presented information for organisms obtained at depths between 0.5 m and 57 m. Three studies explicitly stated that their organisms were sampled with pole spears (Dahl and Patterson, 2014;Aguilar-Perera and Quijano-Puerto, 2016;Chin et al, 2016;Sabido-Itzá et al, 2016), and five studies mentioned that some of their organisms were obtained with pole spears (or other type of harpoon) but also hand-held nets or fish traps (Barbour et al, 2011;Fogg et al, 2013;Edwards et al, 2014;Toledo-Hernández, 2014;Sandel et al, 2015;Sabido-Itza et al, 2016;Sabido-Itzá et al, 2016), and two studies did not specify how organisms were sampled (Darling et al, 2011;de Leon et al, 2013). Fogg et al (2013) use spineless weight in their calculations, so their parameters likely underestimated total weight.…”

“…Here, we compare previously published length-weight relationships for lionfish populations in North Carolina, Northern and Southern Gulf of Mexico, the Southern Mexican Caribbean, Bahamas, Little Cayman, Jamaica, Bonaire, Puerto Rico, and Costa Rica (Barbour et al, 2011;Darling et al, 2011;de Leon et al, 2013;Fogg et al, 2013;Dahl and Patterson, 2014;Edwards et al, 2014;Toledo-Hernández, 2014;Sandel et al, 2015;Aguilar-Perera and Quijano-Puerto, 2016;Sabido-Itza et al, 2016;Sabido-Itzá et al, 2016;Chin et al, 2016). We also collected lionfish length and weight data in the central Mexican Caribbean and report the first allometric growth equation for this region.…”