[Coral-List] Re: Coryphopterus personatus feeding habits

[julian]

I agree with Jim, and would like to add that the masked goby has been
spawned and reared for commercial sale to the aquarium market by C-Quest in
Salinas Puerto Rico. Therefore any gaps in info about its life history might
be filled by contacting Bill Addison of C-Quest.

Sincerely,

Julian Sprung

> From: "Jim Bohnsack" <Jim.Bohnsack at noaa.gov>
> Organization: NOAA
> Date: Mon, 17 Nov 2003 09:28:37 -0500
> To: Hernandez Edwin <coral_giac at yahoo.com>
> Cc: Rich Appeldoorn1 <r_appeldoorn at rumac.uprm.edu>, Coral List
> <coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov>, Doug Harper <Doug.Harper at noaa.gov>, Aida
> Rosario <fspfrl at coqui.net>, Ken Lindeman <klindeman at environmentaldefense.org>
> Subject: [Coral-List] Re: Coryphopterus personatus feeding habits
> 
> Edwin, We see orders of magnitude variance in masked goby abudances in
> the Keys from year to year also.  The most simple explanation, I
> believe, is recruitment variability - possibly due to oceanographic
> conditions and chance factors.  I find it hard to believe that benthos
> colonization or change has much to do with it.   As far as I know, the
> masked goby is a planktivore.
> 
> Hernandez Edwin wrote:
> 
>> Dear coral_listers and other colleages:
>> 
>> I've been writing a manuscript about the results of
>> our long-term monitoring studies of reef fish
>> communities within the Luis Pena Channel No-Take
>> Natural Reserve, in Culebra Island, Puerto Rico. We
>> have found interesting results comparing data from the
>> 3 years before the reserve designation to the
>> following 4 years.  There has been a significant
>> recovery of many of the fishery target species,
>> including piscivore groups.
>> 
>> However, we've found an unexpected up to 10-fold
>> increase in the population density of the masked goby,
>> Coryphopterus personatus (Gobiidae), particularly
>> during the last 2 years. This is coincident with a
>> major decline in coral cover and a major increase in
>> macroalgal and cyanobacterial cover (Hernandez-Delgado
>> and Sabat, in review).
>> 
>> I'm wondering if this bloom in the masked gobies
>> population is habitat-related (i.e., increased food
>> supply).  Many gobiid species are omnivorous, thus
>> algae and detritus are part of their diet (Randall,
>> 1967).  I'm suggesting that, besides successful
>> recruitment cycles, population increases could be the
>> result of increased food supplies as a result of
>> increased algal overgrowth and the subsequent
>> increased production of detritus.
>> 
>> However, I have not been able to find any single
>> reference about the feeding habits, stomach contents,
>> or similar information about Coryphopterus personatus.
>> 
>> Also, C. personatus is a benthic spawner with external
>> fertilization. However, I'm not sure what is their
>> preferred spawning habitat, although I think that reef
>> crevices could be.  Then I guess that another
>> explanation to their apparent recent success could be
>> related to increased microhabitat tridimentionality
>> provided by macroalgal and turf canopies.
>> 
>> I've browsed FishBase, my personal library, and as
>> many other sources available.
>> 
>> I'd like to have some light on any reference
>> regarding:
>> 
>> 1. Feeding habits.
>> 2. Reproductive frequency.
>> 3. Preferred spawning habitat.
>> 
>> Also, will appreciate if anybody else has long-term
>> data regarding the population dynamics of this
>> species.
>> 
>> Thanks in advance!
>> 
>> Saludos desde Puerto Rico.
>> 
>> Edwin A. Hernandez, Ph.D.
>> Coral Reef Long-Term Ecological Monitoring and
>> Restoration Program
>> 180 Montebrisas
>> Apt. 2-203
>> San Juan, PR 00926
>> 
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> 
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