[Coral-List] First lionfish larva collected in the Atlantic!

[Estrella Malca]

First lionfish larva collected in the Atlantic!

The first larval lionfish (/Pterois/ /volitans/) has been collected ~40 
nm east of Cancun, Mexico. This is the first recorded larval sample in 
the Atlantic. It was identified by Biologist Selene Morales and by 
Professor Lourdes Vásquez-Yeomans (Larval Fish Lab, El Colegio de la 
Frontera Sur, Mexico). The specimen was verified last week with genetic 
analysis by Dr. Tom Schultz (Duke University), Dr. James Morris 
(NOAA/NOS), and Whitney Nagel (UNC intern).

Larva measures 7 mm TL and was collected using Neuston nets aboard the 
NOAA Ship Gordon Gunter* in April 2010 in collaboration with NOAA NMFS, 
INAPESCA, University of Miami, and ECOSUR.

For additional information, please contact Lourdes Vasquez-Yeomans, 
lvasquez at ecosur.mx or luluvaye at yahoo.com.mx.
Photograph by Jose A. Cohuo (ECOSUR): 
http://www.sefsc.noaa.gov/earlylifehistory/lionfish_pterois_volitans_ecosur.jpg

*Bluefin Tuna ichthyoplankton cruise collects larval fishes to assess 
their distribution as well as supporting habitat characterizations for 
bluefin tuna (/Thunnus/ /thynnus/) in the Gulf of Mexico and recently 
the Mexican Caribbean.