Common coral reef fishes of Utila

Biodiversity (main)

Published: October 7, 2009, 7:28 pm

Updated: September 20, 2010, 5:54 pm

Topics:

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

IntroductionUtilaisone of the Bay Islands of Honduras (Common coral reef fishes of Utila) located in the Caribbean Sea (Caribbean Sea large marine ecosystem). Over400 species of reef fishes have been identified during REEF Fish Surveys in Utila.

25 most common species in Utila

The following ranking is based on the results of1738REEF Fish Surveyscovering a bottom time of2013 hours and11 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. 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.

Stoplight parrotfish—the most frequently observed reef fish in Utila. Reef Fish Identification, New World Publications © 1994.

Masked goby—the reef fish with the highest mean adundance in Utila. Reef Fish Identification, New World Publications © 1994.

Species	% of surveys observed	Mean abundance category
1. Stoplight parrotfish	93.1	few-many
2. Blue tang	92.5	few-many
3. Blue chromis	91.1	many
4. Bicolor damselfish	90.7	many
5. Foureye butterflyfish	90.0	few
6. Bluehead	89.2	many
7. Fairy basslet	86.5	many
8. Bar jack	85.2	few
9. French grunt	84.2	few
10. Yellowtail damselfish	84.0	few
11. Yellowhead wrasse	83.9	few-many
12. Striped parrotfish	81.2	few-many
13. Redband parrotfish	79.6	few
14. yellowtail snapper	78.5	few
15. Schoolmaster	77.4	few
16. Barred hamlet	77.3	few
17. Graysby	76.9	few
18. Spanish hogfish	76.1	few
19. Sharpnose puffer	75.1	few
20.Rock beauty	73.5	few
21. Creole wrasse	72.8	many
22. Ocean surgeonfish	72.1	few-many
23. Sergeant major	71.8	few-many
24. Threespot damselfish	71.6	few-many
25. Longspine squirrelfish	69.9	few

References and Further Reading

• Reef Environmental Education Foundation
• Geographic Zone Report- o6-03-2009
• REEF Fish Gallery
• Humann, P. and N. Deloach (Editor), 1994. Reef Fish Identification: Florida, Caribbean, Bahamas. New World Publications, Inc. Jacksonville, FL. ISBN: 1878348078

Citation

McGinley, M. (2010). Common coral reef fishes of Utila. Retrieved from http://editors.eol.org/eoearth/wiki/Common_coral_reef_fishes_of_Utila