The chevron butterflyfish, Chaetodon trifascialis, is among the most specialised coral-feeding fish, and while it is known to be very susceptible to extensive depletion of its preferred coral prey (tabular Acropora spp.), their specific responses to changing coral cover are poorly understood. The purpose of this study was to test for variation in territorial behaviour and condition of C. trifascialis

The frequency of reproduction and homing success are crucial in determining the lifetime reproductive fitness of iteroparous salmonids. We examined consecutive spawning and homing by Sakhalin taimen (Parahucho perryi), one of the least-studied iteroparous salmonids. The average consecutive return rate was 69.5%, the highest ever reported for an iteroparous salmonid. The consecutive return rates were

Large dams disrupt river ecosystems, causing negative effects on fish assemblages. Few studies, however, have investigated how Neotropical fish diversity responds to river regulation in longer temporal scales. In this study, we used a multi-metric approach to investigated temporal changes in taxonomic and functional fish diversity over 15 years-period following the construction of a large dam in the

A significant portion of the threatened ichthyofauna is composed by annual fish, whose gene flow is commonly affected by large water bodies. Austrolebias minuano is an endangered species that lives in temporary wetlands of the Patos-Mirim Lagoon System, in Brazil, inhabiting both margins of the Patos Lagoon. This species has previously been target of taxonomic split, leading to the description of A

Population vital rates, such as stage-specific survival, are influenced by individual behavior and movement patterns. Yet few methods exist to incorporate behavior into predator-prey models, omitting a potentially important source of variability in population dynamics. Here were combine results from an acoustic telemetry study of juvenile Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) with an existing predator

We studied the post-release activity of newly tagged fish and determined whether and for how long experimental protocol impacted their behavior. Our study focused on three species (Plectropomus leopardus, Chlorurus microrhinos and Scarus ghobban), including a total of 30 fish. Fish were kept outside their natural environment for several days before release for pre- and post-tagging surveys. Moreover

Euryhelmis cotti (Simon, 1972) is an intestinal fluke with a complex life history with three hosts; in the metacercarial stage, E. cotti infects fish in the family Cottidae. Our objective was to determine the distribution, prevalence, and intensity of infection of E. cotti in shorthead sculpin (Cottus confusus Bailey and Bond, 1963) in Birch Creek, Idaho. We collected shorthead sculpin at five sites

Characterization of essential habitat for sharks is a key requirement for effective conservation of shark populations. In Cuba, shark essential habitat is largely undocumented. Here we present the first study of a shark nursery area in Cuban waters, for the lemon shark. Nursery areas for lemon sharks are typically surrounded by mangroves and contain sandy substrate where the young can feed, grow, move

Knowledge on factors influencing traits during critical early growth periods is essential for predicting population persistence. Genetic effects and microhabitat stream conditions at female selected oviposition sites influence larval phenotypes. However, limited work has examined contributions of both factors across sequential ontogenetic stages for larvae of wild origin. Using a wild population of

To assess genetic variation in pink salmon (Oncorhynchus gorbuscha), the polymorphism of nucleotide sequences of the ND2 and Cytb (mtDNA) genes has been analyzed in 404 individuals of even- and odd-year broodlines from 10 temporal samples collected in different years from one river. The data that earlier indicated a high level of genetic differences between samples of the broodlines spawning in even-

The original version of this article unfortunately contained a mistake.

The Niagara River, which connects two Great Lakes (Erie and Ontario) and forms a border between Canada and the United States, has experienced decades of abiotic and biotic disturbance as well as long-term restoration efforts. Given the iconic riverscape and importance as a binational fisheries resource, a biodiversity assessment of the mainstem Niagara River fish assemblage is overdue. Here, fish assemblage

Carotenoid pigments have myriad functions in fish, including coloration and immunity. The “carotenoid trade-off hypothesis” posits that dietary limitation of carotenoids imposes constraints on animals to allocate to one function at the expense of another. This hypothesis rarely has been tested in fish. We quantified tissue carotenoids in breeding and non-breeding female convict cichlids in Lake Xiloá

Temperature is a key determinant that governs fish survival, reproduction, growth and metabolism. In freshwater ecosystems, anthropogenic influences have resulted in acute and prolonged temperature changes which lead to lethal and sub-lethal impacts on the biota that occupy these environments. We assessed the effects of temperature on somatic and otolith growth and development of three species of native

Endemic marine species often exist as metapopulations distributed across several discrete locations, such that their extinction risk is dependent upon population dynamics and persistence at each location. The anemonefish Amphiprion latezonatus is a habitat specialist, endemic to two oceanic islands (Lord Howe and Norfolk) and the adjacent eastern Australian coast from the Sunshine Coast to Southwest

A large number of studies across many different disciplines have been conducted on the Swartvlei estuarine system over the past five decades, thus providing an ideal opportunity to review spatial and temporal aspects of fish food webs in the lower estuary and upper lake. The aquatic and semi-aquatic macrophytes, together with the physico-chemical environment associated with these two parts of the system

The Strawberry Darter Etheostoma fragi is endemic to the Strawberry River drainage in northcentral Arkansas, where its distribution and status have not been assessed since the mid-1990s. A status survey was conducted during the summers of 2015 and 2016. Sixty-four sites were sampled (32 each summer) within the Strawberry River drainage. Sites were surveyed 4 times each using a kick-seine. A total of

Alteration of flow regimes by anthropogenic activities is one of the primary environmental problems in riverine systems. Understanding how hydrologic conditions can affect ontogenetic habitat shifts of imperiled fishes is important in order to develop conservation and management strategies for each life-history stage. We examined relationships between the abundance of young-of-the-year (YOY) Rio Grande

Winter habitat selection by Striped Bass (Morone saxatilis) has been described as opportunistic, but due to the length and severity of winter at its northern range, winter habitats in the north are predicted to be restricted in distribution and carefully selected. Here we describe the locations and environmental conditions supporting winter aggregations of adult Striped Bass including periods under

Spatial and temporal distribution of anadromous alewife (Alosa pseudoharengus Wilson) spawning and nursery habitats were determined by sampling in the Mullica River – Great Bay watershed (New Jersey, USA) in a combination of long- and short-term observational and quantitative studies. Reproduction was confirmed by examination of developing gonads, visual observations of spawning, and egg collections

White Sturgeon (Acipenser transmontanus) are a long-lived, slow-growing, and late-reproducing anadromous fish common in estuaries and coastal habitats along the North American West Coast. These life history characteristics make populations vulnerable to human impacts and a challenge to study and manage. Previous studies in the San Francisco Estuary, California have provided insights into rearing habitats

Multiple paternity behavior (MP) has been recorded for seven elasmobranch orders. It remains unclear how this common behavior evolved and whether it occurs in all elasmobranchs or in certain lineages. Although MP may provide genetic benefits, elasmobranchs display an aggressive courtship behavior and females may become severely wounded, making multiple mating costly. Females can perform multiple matings

A deep investigation on the trophic structure of a fish assemblage in a reference condition river is important since allow the comparison and determination of the extent in which other sites are degraded. It is especially relevant when we consider a reference condition river located in a basin under influence of several anthropogenic activities, as is the case of the Rio Cipó, an important tributary

Different techniques have been employed for fish surveys in freshwater impoundments, however, despite the increasing applicability of underwater video systems for fish sampling in different aquatic ecosystems, such technology has not been tested in reservoirs. This study compares estimates of fish species richness, community composition, and size structure derived from visual census (VC) and underwater

A comparison of fish diversity was carried out among 45 sites within four localities in the Mexican Tropical Western Atlantic (TWA) and Tropical Eastern Pacific (TEP) regions. Several taxonomical and functional diversity indices were considered, and their relationships with the coral cover were investigated in each locality. We found that despite a lower number of species, the localities within the

Hotspots identification can be used to establish protected or priority areas for conservation at different geographic scales. We aimed to determine if San Andres, Providencia and Santa Catalina Archipelago could be considered as a hotspot of elasmobranch diversity within the Greater Caribbean. For that, we updated the elasmobranch species richness and analyze its distribution pattern, evaluated the

Although bonefish, Albula vulpes, supports a culturally and socio-economically important recreational fishery in the Caribbean Sea, little is known about their population characteristics. Understanding their population parameters are important for the creation of a sustainable fishery strategy in the Caribbean region. We used multistate modeling to estimate apparent survival, recapture probability

Compared with temperate Anguilla, little is known about the early marine migration and recruitment mechanisms of these tropical eels. To understand the ecological and behavioural mechanisms of their inshore migration in tropical Anguilla, systematic research on their periodicity of inshore migration was conducted for 24 h over 9 to 13 consecutive days before and after the new moon dates four times

Brown trout, Salmo trutta is a widespread fish species throughout the Europe yet most of the natural populations of the species is in decline due to the anthropogenic pressures. Hatchery based stock enhancement is commonly used to restore depleted populations. Tracking pedigree information is useful for evaluating performance of stocked offspring and for examining introgression where stocking practices

Fish and benthic invertebrates are important groups that inhabit shallow coastal areas. Many studies use these two groups separately to answer questions related to environmental relationships, but few assess the correlation between these two groups. This study aimed to assess correlation between richness and composition of fish and benthic invertebrate assemblages and to evaluate their responses to

Environmental disturbances and fishing are well known drivers of coral reef fish population size, length-frequency, and assemblage structure. However, few studies have partitioned the spatial and temporal impacts of multiple disturbance events and long-term no-take marine reserve (NTMR) protection on the biomass of juvenile and adult reef-fishes based on the known size of sexual maturity. Here, we

The requiem sharks of the genus Carcharhinus are captured as bycatch in the Indo-Pacific region. The lack of morphometric data due to the common practice of head and fin removal of sharks, hinders the implementation of shark management measures. Carcharhinus specimens found in the waters of Brunei Darussalam were identified using morphological analysis, and their identification was further validated

Due to an oversight during typesetting, the original version of this article unfortunately contained a mistake.

We outline a new flexible method for estimating maturity that incorporates skip spawning, which can lead to non-asymptotic behavior in the population maturity schedule. This new approach aids fisheries managers who seek to understand marine species’ responses to changing oceans. In an effort to assess shifts in maturity and spawning behavior of west coast groundfish, we used this new method to evaluate

Smallmouth bass (Micropterus dolomieu) predation on subyearling fall Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) was examined in the Snake River (USA) to identify seasonal and habitat-related changes in bass diets, and associated subyearling consumption and loss in various riverine and impounded reaches. Smallmouth bass diets reflected opportunistic foraging that at times showed predation on subyearlings

The Amazon basin has a freshwater fish diversity comparable to a tropical sea. Although many Amazonian fish species are popular ornamental fish across the world, the ecology of most species in their natural habitat remains poorly known (van der Sleen and Albert 2017). We report on shoaling behavior in Platydoras hancockii in a floodplain forest of the middle Rio Negro, Brazil. As the shoal consisted

Nurse sharks are vulnerable of extinction in Brazil. Although its reproductive behavioral repertoire is already known, including indications that females are not passive to the attempts of males, no indication of proceptive behavior of females of this species is known. Considering that proceptive behavior is what initiates or increases the probability of a male exhibiting sexual behaviors directed

A reduced susceptibility for local and global impacts has been assigned for deeper reefs compared to historically degraded shallow reefs. Yet, few studies have attempted to analyze the influence of depth on reef fish escape behavior across distinct size classes. By using behavioral response as a measure for prey wariness, the present study analyzed flight initiation distance (FID) for three fishery

Life history strategies shape many aspects of species’ ecological importance and population demographics. For ectotherms, life history strategies are highly dependent on temperature, among other environmental conditions. With projected increases in global temperatures, understanding the success of organisms under warmer conditions is critical. Due to the difficulty of establishing long-term heating

Geography and nursery-specific dynamics guide environmental drivers of growth for young-of-year (YOY; larval and juvenile) Alewife (Alosa pseudoharengus) and Blueback Herring (Alosa aestivalis), two species collectively termed river herring; of these factors, temperature is considered one of the most influential. To better understand future YOY growth relative to climate change, this study was designed

Otolith shape variation in the Ornate goby, Istigobius ornatus (Teleostei: Gobiidae), collected along the intertidal coasts of the Persian Gulf and Oman Sea, was analysed using Wavelet transform technique in the ShapeR package to determine population differentiation and structure. There were significant differences (P < 0.001, ANOVA) among geographically distant populations based on the variation in

Temperature differentially influences developmental trajectories of traits during early life stages that can affect survival and recruitment. Experiments were conducted to quantify temperature-induced developmental responses of White Sturgeon (Acipenser transmontanus) yolk-sac larvae (YSL) reared at temperatures encountered across the species’ range (12.5, 14.0, 15.5, and 17.0 °C). We quantified effects

Energy allocation strategies of fishes during vitellogenesis fall along a spectrum from rapid transfer of ingested nutrients into yolk (income breeding) to drawing upon reserves stored in somatic tissues (capital breeding). Southern flounder, Paralichthys lethostigma, migrate from estuaries to offshore habitats to spawn, likely resulting in variability in nutrient intake. The effect of variable nutrient

The reproductive status of walleye (Sander vitreus) and lake whitefish (Coregonus clupeaformis) is largely unstudied in the northern extent of their ranges. Tathlina Lake and Kakisa Lake are large, shallow lakes in the Northwest Territories, Canada, supporting important commercial and subsistence fisheries for these species while being threatened by climate change. Fish were sampled in both lakes across

Lack of detailed knowledge on ecological niche, life cycles, spatial distribution, reproductive biology and space use strongly affects the selection of useful tools and measures in the conservation of threatened marine species. Especially for sedentary and slow species, behaviour and movement capacities are supposed to be the most important functional traits. Indeed, behavioural variability concerning

Dusky damselfish (Stegastes fuscus) behaviour was investigated under natural and controlled conditions to evaluate how territory and familiarity affect aggressive behaviour. In the natural environment, fish occupies territories of 2.74 ± 1.3 m2 and the most frequent behaviours exhibited were monitoring swimming, feeding, shelter occupation and agonistic interactions. Larger-territory individuals spend

Due to an oversight by the Publisher during the typesetting stage, the Fig. 8 has been omitted from the pdf version and is now presented in this article.

Japanese eels (Anguilla japonica) utilize a broad range of habitats along the marine-freshwater ecotone during their growth phase in inland waters. This study aimed to analyze the foraging behavior of yellow-phase Japanese eels in connected fresh- and brackish water habitats and to connect foraging behavior and habitat use through the analysis of carbon (δ13C) and nitrogen (δ15N) stable isotopes. Stomach

The aim of this study was to explore an emerging discipline addressing the impact of anthropogenic noise on larval stages of marine organisms. We assessed the influence of boat noise on the feeding behaviour of the pelagic larvae of winter flounder (Pseudopleuronectes americanus, Walbaum, 1792). The hypothesis was that boat noise influences the feeding behaviour of P. americanus flounder larvae independently

Morphology plays a central role in determining diet. Knowledge of ecological and morphological relations between a species and its ecosystem is highly relevant. The aims of this study are to describe the diet and the lower pharyngeal jaw (LPJ) of Cichlasoma portalegrense and to test for the existence of ontogenetic and spatial patterns in its diet. Samplings took place in four sampling sites in Viamão

As precipitation and temperature patterns change, the resulting alterations in hydrologic conditions may adversely affect some stream fishes. The unique guild of freshwater, pelagic broadcast-spawning minnows found in the western United States appears to be particularly sensitive to low-flow conditions. We examined reproductive and recruitment patterns of one of these species, Rio Grande silvery minnow

Teleost fish that form predictable spawning aggregations and undertake reproductive migrations can be particularly vulnerable to overexploitation. To support community-based management of an artisanal fishery that targets bonefish (Albula glossodonta) spawning aggregations, we used a combination of acoustic telemetry, biological sampling, and remote imagery to reveal the spatiotemporal spawning migrations

The present study was undertaken to assess the diversity and abundance of elasmobranch fishes in coral reef and sand flat environments on the eastern Caicos Bank, with a view to informing marine spatial planning as the island of South Caicos and its environs transition to a tourism-based economy. Using baited remote underwater video systems (BRUVS), the nurse shark Ginglymostoma cirratum, Caribbean

Devil rays are considered pelagic filter-feeders but direct observation of their foraging in the wild is very scarce and their feeding ecology is known essentially from indirect methods. On September 2018, a group of 16 sicklefin devil rays were observed preying on bait balls of longspine snipefish (Macroramphosus scolopax), together with their associated common remora (Remora remora), at Princess

The delimitation of fishery stocks is an important aspect for the development and implementation of fishery stock management and sustainable use programs. Genetic analyses can provide useful information for the definition of population units, migration rates and changes in effective population sizes over long time frames. The black drum Pogonias courbina (Lacepede, 1803) is a marine fish that inhabits

Early life stage tarpon (Megalops atlanticus) have been collected in the western Atlantic Ocean north of Florida where it has been assumed that individuals migrate from estuarine areas at the onset of winter because water temperature during winter is too low for survival. However, there is anecdotal evidence of juvenile tarpon present during winter in this region. We conducted a tag-recapture study

The dolphinfish (Coryphaena hippurus Linnaeus, 1758) is an epipelagic top-predator that is globally distributed in tropical and subtropical waters. In the Eastern Tropical and Subtropical Pacific, this fish represents a target species for commercial and recreational fisheries. Climate change is affecting biodiversity, and a poleward expansion was suggested for dolphinfish due to its affinity for warm

Age, growth, and gonadal condition of the Giant mottled eel, Anguilla marmorata, were estimated from 303 specimens collected at Okinawa-jima Island, Japan. Otolith opaque zones that formed every year correlated with high water temperature and were thought to be annual rings. The growth of this species differed between males and females, and females were longer lived and larger than males. The mean

Orestias is an endemic fish genus of lacustrine and lotic systems distributed on the Andes highland region (Altiplano) of Peru, Bolivia and Chile (9°S to 22°S). Based on morphological characters, taxonomic studies have recognized seven species on the Chilean western southern Altiplano region (17°S - 22°S). The current geographical distribution of Orestias would be associated with historical vicariant

The distribution of Orestias (Cypriniforms) species in the southern western Altiplano (17ºS-22ºS) is allopatric; the seven species described inhabit different freshwater systems with extreme climatic characteristics and different ecological conditions, factors that would have enhanced interspecific differentiation. To analyze their head differences we compared jaw morphology of eight species of Orestias