Common coral reef fishes of Dominica
Aulostomus maculatus (Trumpetfish -brown variation). (By Nhobgood (talk) Nick Hobgood (Own work) (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0), via Wikimedia Commons)
Contents
- 1 Introduction Dominica (Common coral reef fishes of Dominica) is anisland in theeastern Caribbean Sea (Caribbean Sea large marine ecosystem), about half way between Puerto Rico and Trinidad and Tobago.Over320 species of reef fishes have been identified during REEF Fish Surveys in Dominica.
- 2 25 most common species Dominica
- 3 References and Further Reading
Introduction Dominica (Common coral reef fishes of Dominica) is anisland in theeastern Caribbean Sea (Caribbean Sea large marine ecosystem), about half way between Puerto Rico and Trinidad and Tobago.Over320 species of reef fishes have been identified during REEF Fish Surveys in Dominica.
25 most common species Dominica
Brown chromis- the most frequently observed and reef fish with the highest mean abundance in Dominica. Reef Fish Identification, New World Publications © 1994. The following ranking is based on the results of943 REEF Fish Surveyscovering a bottom time of984 hours and38 minutes. (REEF Gopgraphic Zone Report, May 30, 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.
|
Species |
% of surveys observed |
Mean abundance category |
|
1. Brown chromis |
92.4 |
many-abundant |
|
2. Trumpetfish |
92.0 |
few-many |
|
3. Bicolor damselfish |
91.0 |
many-abundant |
|
4. Blackbar soldierfish |
90.0 |
many |
|
5. Bluehead |
87.4 |
many |
|
6. Blue chromis |
86.2 |
many |
|
7. Sergeant major |
84.1 |
many |
|
8. French grunt |
83.0 |
few-many |
|
9. Stoplight parrotfish |
77.7 |
few |
|
10. Harlequin bass |
77.6 |
few |
|
11. Ocean surgeonfish |
77.3 |
few-many |
|
12. Yellowhead wrasse |
77.0 |
many |
|
13. Blue tang |
76.6 |
few |
|
14. Yellowtail damselfish |
76.4 |
few |
|
15. Sharpnose puffer |
73.0 |
few |
|
16. Smooth trunkfish |
73.0 |
few |
|
17. Rock beauty |
72.0 |
few-many |
|
18. Yellow goatfish |
71.9 |
few-many |
|
19. Coney |
70.5 |
few |
|
20. Spotted goatfish |
70.1 |
few |
|
21. Longsnout butterflyfish |
69.4 |
few |
|
22. Smallmouth grunt |
69.1 |
many |
|
23. Redband parrotfish |
67.9 |
few-many |
|
24. Creole wrasse |
67.4 |
many |
|
25. Princess parrotfish |
65.7 |
few-many |
References and Further Reading
- Reef Environmental Education Foundation
- Geographic Zone Report- 05-30-2009
- REEF Fish Gallery
- Humann, P. and N. Deloach (Editor), 1994. Reef Fish Identification: Florida, Caribbean, Bahamas. New World Publications, Inc. Jacksonville, FL. ISBN: 1878348078
