Common coral reef fishes of Curacao

Biodiversity (main)

Published: June 18, 2014, 4:05 pm

Topics:

Biodiversity (main) Fisheries (main) Marine Ecology (main) Coral Reefs (main) Geography (main) Species (main)

Foureye butterflyfish (Chaetodon capistratus) (By Photographer: Chris Huss Credit: Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary (http://www.photolib.noaa.gov/htmls/reef2581.htm) Domain, via Wikimedia Commons)

Introduction Curacoaois an island in the Netherlands Antilles (Common coral reef fishes of Curacao) (or "Dutch Antilles") located to the north of the Venezuelan coast in the Caribbean Sea (Caribbean Sea large marine ecosystem).Over310 species of reef fishes have been identified during REEF Fish Surveys in Curacao.

25 most common species in Curacao

Brown Chromis- the reef fish with the highest mean abundance in Curacao. Reef Fish Identification, New World Publications © 1994. The following ranking is based on the results of1386REEF Fish Surveyscovering a bottom time of1399 hours and51 minutes.(REEF Geographic Zone Report.June 1, 2009). The species are ranked by the percentage of surveys in which a species was observed. Abundance of fishes in REEF Fish Surveys are estimated using the following categories: 1- single =1 individual, 2-few = 2- 10 individuals, 3-many = 11-100 individuals, and 4-abundant > 100 individuals. The mean numeric abundance (ranging from 1 - 4) was calculated for each species.. The mean abundance category is determined as follows: mean abundance category 0 - 1.49 = single, 1.50 - 1.99 = single-few, 2.0 - 2.49 = few, 2.5 - 2.99 = few-many, 3.0 - 3.49 = many, 3.5 -3.99 = many-abundant, and 4.0 = abundant.

Species	% of surveys observed	Mean abundance category
1. Foureye butterflyfish	88.3	few
2. Blue tang	88.0	few-many
3. Bicolor damselfish	87.7	many-abundant
4. Stoplight parrotfish	86.8	few-many
5. Brown chromis	86.7	many-abundant
6. French grunt	85.6	few-many
7. Bluehead	83.4	many
8. Sergeant major	83.1	few-many
9. Trumpetfish	81.2	many
10. Blue chromis	77.3	many
11. Yellow goatfish	76.1	few-many
12. Smooth trunkfish	74.8	single-few
13. Princess parrotfish	73.9	few-many
14. Yellowhead wrasse	72.4	few-many
15. Banded butterflyfish	72.3	few
16. Blackbar soldierfish	71.9	few-many
17. Fairy basslet	71.2	few-many
18. Yellowtail damselfish	70.5	few
19. Spanish hogfish	66.2	few
20.Graysby	63.7	few
21. Redband parrotfish	63.5	few
22. Queen parrotfish	63.1	few
23. Yellowtail snapper	62.0	few
24. Schoolmaster	61.8	few
25. Threespot samselfish	60.8	few-many

References and Further Reading

• Reef Environmental Education Foundation
• Geographic Zone Report- 06-01-2009
• REEF Fish Gallery
• Humann, P. and N. Deloach (Editor), 1994. Reef Fish Identification: Florida, Caribbean, Bahamas. New World Publications, Inc. Jacksonville, FL. ISBN: 1878348078

Citation

McGinley, M. (2014). Common coral reef fishes of Curacao. Retrieved from http://editors.eol.org/eoearth/wiki/Common_coral_reef_fishes_of_Curacao