Common coral reef fishes of Mustique
Almost always found in pairs (but sometimes difficult to get two in the same frame), these active little fish are a common site on Caribbean reefs. (By LASZLO ILYES from Cleveland, Ohio, USA (Banded Butterflyfish Uploaded by Jacopo Werther) (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0), via Wikimedia Commons)
Contents
- 1 Introduction Mustiqueis an island located theeastern Caribbean Sea (Common coral reef fishes of Mustique) that is part of the St. Vincent and the Grenadines. In limited sampling, over130 species of reef fishes have been identified during REEF Fish Surveys in Mustique.
- 2 25 most common species in Mustique
- 3 References and Further Reading
Introduction Mustiqueis an island located theeastern Caribbean Sea (Common coral reef fishes of Mustique) that is part of the St. Vincent and the Grenadines. In limited sampling, over130 species of reef fishes have been identified during REEF Fish Surveys in Mustique.
25 most common species in Mustique
Banded butterflyfish—the most frequently observed reef fish in Mustique. Reef Fish Identification, New World Publications © 1994. The following ranking is based on the results ofonly 27REEF Fish Surveyscovering a bottom time of25 hours and48 minutes.(REEF Geographic Zone Report.June 3, 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.
Brown chromis—the reef fish with the highest mean abundance in Mustique. Reef Fish Identification, New World Publications © 1994. 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. Banded butterflyfish |
100.0 |
few |
|
2. Blue tang |
100.0 |
few-many |
|
3. Brown chromis |
100.0 |
many-abundant |
|
4. Bluehead |
100.0 |
many |
|
5. Bicolor damselfish |
100.0 |
many |
|
6. Yellowtail damselfish |
96.3 |
few-many |
|
7. Yellow goatfish |
96.3 |
few-many |
|
8. Sergeant major |
96.3 |
few-many |
|
9. Stoplight parrotfish |
92.6 |
few-many |
|
10. Ocean surgeonfish |
92.6 |
few-many |
|
11. French grunt |
88.9 |
few-many |
|
12. Spanish hogfish |
88.9 |
few |
|
13. Redlip blenny |
88.9 |
few-many |
|
14. Trumpetfish |
85.2 |
few |
|
15. Longspine squirrelfish |
85.2 |
few-many |
|
16. Threespot damselfish |
85.2 |
few-many |
|
17. Redband parrotfish |
85.2 |
few |
|
18. Yellowhead wrasse |
81.5 |
many |
|
19. Coney |
81.5 |
few-many |
|
20.Blackbar soldierfish |
81.5 |
many |
|
21. Orangespotted filefish |
81.5 |
single-few |
|
22. Foueye butterflyfish |
81.5 |
few |
|
23. Striped parrotfish |
77.8 |
few-many |
|
24. Mahogany snapper |
77.8 |
few-many |
|
25. Puddingwife |
77.8 |
few |
References and Further Reading
- Reef Environmental Education Foundation
- Geographic Zone Report- 06-03-2009
- REEF Fish Gallery
- Humann, P. and N. Deloach (Editor), 1994. Reef Fish Identification: Florida, Caribbean, Bahamas. New World Publications, Inc. Jacksonville, FL. ISBN: 1878348078
