[Coral-List] Unusual Fish Mortality Curacao

Mark J A Vermeij vermeij at hawaii.edu
Wed Aug 19 14:33:11 EDT 2009


Dear All

Yesterday local fishermen called in an usual die-off of big eye scads that they kept in a net for future harvesting. Suddenly nearly 60% of their fish died and the rotting fish caused the bay in which they were caught to go anoxic. As a result, numerous other organisms washed ashore due to the depleted oxygen levels in the bay. Several organisms were collected (including numerous extremely small juvenile fish, snapping and mantis shrimps and some unknown organisms). Pictures of these collected organisms can be found at: 

http://picasaweb.google.com/MarkJAVermeij/FishMassMortalityCanoa18Aug2009?feat=directlink

Two things: (1) Is there anybody out there that could use these samples for biogeographic comparisons, genetics etc and (2) does anybody know the fish shown in pictures 6 and 7? Nobody here as ever seen them and right now they're assumed to be juvenile moray eels. When alive, they quickly hide below the sand and show the same "gaping" behavior as adult moray eels. 

If these samples are at all useful or if anyone recognizes these "moray like" fish, please let me know.

Thanks in advance from Curacao

Mark
__________________________________
Dr. M.J.A. Vermeij
Science Director
Carmabi Foundation
Piscaderabaai z/n
Curaçao, Netherlands Antilles
Phone: +5999-5103067 (NEW NUMBER)
Email: m.vermeij at carmabi.org
Skype: markvermeij
Web: www.carmabi.org






More information about the Coral-List mailing list