Common coral reef fishes of Trinidad and Tobago

Biodiversity (main)

Published: June 16, 2014, 6:43 pm

Topics:

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

Introduction Trinidad and Tobago (Common coral reef fishes of Trinidad and Tobago) is a nationin the southern Caribbean Sea (Caribbean Sea large marine ecosystem), lying northeast of the South Americancountry of Venezuela and south of Grenada in the Lesser Antilles. Over340 species of reef fishes have been identified during REEF Fish Surveys in Trinidad and Tobago..

25 most common species in Trinidad and Tobago

Bicolor damselfish—the most frequently observed reef fish in Trinidad and Tobago. Reef Fish Identification, New World Publications © 1994. The following ranking is based on the results of618 REEF Fish Surveyscovering a bottom time of710 hours and16 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.

Brown Chromis—the fish with the highest mean abundance in Trinidad and Tobago. Reef Fish Identification, New World Publications © 1994. 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. Bicolor damselfish	93.5	many-abundant
2. French angelfish	90.9	few
3. Bluehead	89.3	many
4. Harlequin bass	88.5	few-many
5. Doctorfish	87.2	few-many
6. Stoplight parrotfish	85.0	few-many
7. French grunt	83.5	few
8. Yellowtail damselfish	80.4	few-many
9. Blue tang	79.6	few-many
10. Redband parrotfish	78.9	few
11. Smallmouth grunt	77.0	many
12. Yellowhead wrasse	75.6	few-many
13. Princess parrotfish	75.9	few-many
14. Ocean surgeonfish	75.7	few
15. Graysby	75.2	few
16. Trumpetfish	74.8	few
17. Spanish hogfish	74.6	few
18. Brown chromis	74.3	many-abundant
19. Queen angelfish	73.8	few
20. Sergeant major	73.6	few-many
21. Blackbar soldierfish	73.3	few-many
22. Yellow goatfish	72.8	few-many
23. Banded butterflyfish	72.7	few
24. Black durgon	70.4	many
25. Sharpnose puffer	68.4	few

References and Further Reading

• Reef Environmental Education Foundation
• Geographic Zone Report- 06-01-2009
• 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. (2014). Common coral reef fishes of Trinidad and Tobago. Retrieved from http://editors.eol.org/eoearth/wiki/Common_coral_reef_fishes_of_Trinidad_and_Tobago