Predation, habitat use and impact of Pterois

Paul Furumo
Mayra Sánchez
24 Oct. 2012

Research Problem

• There is insufficient data on the
abundance and distribution of
lionfish in mangrove habitat
• Mangroves provide nurseries for
reef fishes, therefore the effect of
invasion into these habitats are of
severe concern.
• Furthermore, management
strategies have largely focused on
reefs at the expense of mangrove
habitats.

Objective and Goals
 O 1: Determine the extent of lionfish abundance in
mangrove habitats in Puerto Rico.
 H 1: Lionfish are present in Mangroves in
abundance comparable to other invaded habitat.

 O 2: Characterize and quantify prey composition
of mangrove dwelling lionfish.
 H 2: Lionfish presence is going to be related to the
amount of prey available in mangroves.

 O 3: Determine if lionfish use mangroves as
nurseries similar to other reef fishes.
 H 3: We assume that lionfish demonstrate a similar
pattern as other reef fish that use mangroves as
nurseries and migrate to reefs.

http://absci.fiu.edu/?p=2345

Objective and Goals
 O 4: Determine the ontogenical behavior
cues that cause lionfish recruitment and
migration between mangrove and reef
habitat.
 H 4: Lionfish migrate from mangroves
towards reef habitat upon attaining sexual
maturity

 O 5: Determine if they have a preference
for impacted and non-impacted
mangroves.
 H 5: We assume the less impacted the http://absci.fiu.edu/?p=341
ecosystem there is going to be more
abundance of lionfish.

Methodology
 Study Sites
 Bosque estatal Piñoes, Carolina (BP)
 Reserva Natural Bahia de Jobos, Salina (BJ)
 La Parguera (LP)

 Characterize and quantify prey composition
 Identify stomach content

 Population dynamics
 Abundance- belt transects 20 * 2 m
(2) Transects (Mumby et al., 2004)
 Total Length
 Age determination (Otolith)
 Sexual Maturity
(Dissection observation)

Potential Benefits
 Improve our overall knowledge of lionfish use in
mangrove habitat.

 Incorporate findings into more efficient and inclusive
management strategies.

Predation, habitat use and impact of Pterois

References
 Arias-González, J. E., González-Gándara, C., Luis Cabrera, J., & Christensen, V. (2011).
Predicted impact of the invasive lionfish Pterois volitans on the food web of a Caribbean
coral reef. Environmental research, 111(7), 917–25. doi:10.1016/j.envres.2011.07.008
 Barbour, A., Montgomery, M., Adamson, A., Díaz-Ferguson, E., & Silliman, B. (2010).
Mangrove use by the invasive lionfish Pterois volitans. Marine Ecology Progress Series,
401, 291–294. doi:10.3354/meps08373
 Brightman Claydon, J. A., Batchasingh, J., Calosso, M. C., Jacob, S. E., & Lockhart, K.
(2011). Invasive Red Lionfish in Shallow Habitats of the Turks & Caicos Islands. 63rd Gulf
and Caribbean Fisheries Institute (p. 5). San Juan, Puerto Rico.
 González, J., Grijalba-Bendeck, M., Acero, A., & Betancur-R., R. (2009). The invasive red
lionfish, Pterois volitans (Linnaeus 1758), in the southwestern Caribbean Sea. Aquatic
Invasions, 4(3), 507–510. doi:10.3391/ai.2009.4.3.12
 Green, S.J., Akins, J.L., and J.A. Morris, J. (2012). Lionfish Dissection : Techniques and
Applications. (p. 24).
 Hyslop, E. J. (1980). Stomach contents analysis-a review of methods and their
application. Journal of Fish Biology, 17(4), 411–429. doi:10.1111/j.1095-8649.1980.tb02775.x
 Morris, J. a., & Akins, J. L. (2009). Feeding ecology of invasive lionfish (Pterois volitans)
in the Bahamian archipelago. Environmental Biology of Fishes, 86(3), 389–398. Retrieved
from http://www.springerlink.com/index/10.1007/s10641-009-9538-8
 Mumby, P. J., Edwards, A. J., Lindeman, J., Arias-González, E. K. C., Blackwell, P. G., Gall,
A., Gorczynska, M. I., et al. (2004). Mangroves enhance the biomass of coral reef fish
communities in the Caribbean. Nature, 427(B5), 533–536. doi:10.1038/nature02286

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