Fishes of North Carolina Outer Shelf Reefs

Steve W. Ross1, Andrea M. Quattrini1, and Kenneth J. Sulak2

New RecordsWe have documented four new records to the continental United States and ten new records to North Carolina from collections and observations on outer shelf reefs.

Continental United States New Records: Apogon gouldi, Liopropoma aberrans, Parasphyraenops incisus, and Prognathodes guyanensis

North Carolina New Records: Canthigaster jamestyleri, Caranx lugubris, Centropyge argi, Cypselurus comatus, Gymnothorax vicinus, Liopropoma mowbrayi, Lepophidium staurophor, Prognathodes aculeatus, Rypticus saponaceus, and Serranus annularis

Anthiines are the most abundant fishes on hardgrounds off North Carolina. It was originally thought that schools of these fishes consisted mostly of Hemanthias vivanus. Our collections have revealed that these schools also comprise Anthias tenuis and Hemanthias leptus. Pronotogrammus martinicensis is also observed in these schools, as well as solitary individuals.

Hemanthias vivanus

Hemanthias leptus

Anthias tenuis

Pronotogrammus martinicensis

This was the first lionfish (Pterois volitans) collected by the Johnson Sea Link submersible off North Carolina. This specimen (133 mm SL, 181 mm TL) was collected with the suction/rotenone device in August 2003 at a station (JSLII-03-3435) located within the proposed MPA.

The invasive Indo-Pacific lionfish, Pterois volitans, was observed with the Johnson Sea Link submersible several times in August 2002-2003 at hardgrounds located within the proposed MPA. At two stations, fourteen individuals were observed in 2002 and at least 8 individuals were observed in 2003.

1 1 University of North Carolina at Wilmington, Center for Marine Science, 5600 Marvin K. Moss Lane, Wilmington, NC 28409 and University of North Carolina at Wilmington, Center for Marine Science, 5600 Marvin K. Moss Lane, Wilmington, NC 28409 and 22 United States Geological Survey, Coastal Ecology and Conservation Research Group, Center for Aquatic Resource Studies, United States Geological Survey, Coastal Ecology and Conservation Research Group, Center for Aquatic Resource Studies, 7920 NW 717920 NW 71stst Street, Gainesville, FL 32653 Street, Gainesville, FL 32653

Table 1. Species observed with the Johnson Sea Link submersible on North Carolina outer shelf hardgrounds (68-129 m depth) in 2001-2003. (*) Denotes species collected with the rotenone/suction device on the submersible.

Serranus annularis

Liopropoma aberrans Prognathodes guyanensis

Canthigaster jamestyleri Centropyge argiCaranx lugubris

Rypticus saponaceusCypselurus comatus Serranus annularis

Parasphyraenops incisus

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

We thank NOAA Office of Ocean Exploration for funding (SW Ross and KJ Sulak, PIs). We also thank Andy David (NOAA/NMFS) and Lance Horn (NURC, UNC Wilmington).

Family Species Family SpeciesAcanthuridae Acanthurus chirurgus Holacanthus tricolorApogonidae *Apogon gouldi Pomacanthus paru

Apogon affinis Pomacentridae Chromis enchrysurusApogon pseudomaculatus Chromis insolata

Balistidae Balistes capriscus Chromis scottiBythitidae Brotula Stegastes sp.Callionymidae *Foetorepus agassizi Priacanthidae Priacanthus arenatusCarangidae Caranx bartholomei Pristigenys alta

Caranx lugubris Sciaenidae Equetus lanceolatusSeriola dumerili Pareques iwamotoiSeriola rivoliana Pareques umbrosusSeriola zonata Scorpaenidae *Pterois volitans

Chaetodontidae Chaetodon ocellatus *Scorpaena brasiliensisChaetodon sedentarius *Scorpaena disparPrognathodes aculeatus Serranidae *Anthias tenuisPrognathodes aya *Centropristis ocyurusPrognathodes guyanensis Epinephelus adscensionis

Congridae *Conger oceanicus Epinephelus cruentatusDactylopteridae Dactylopterus volitans Epinephelus drummondhayiGadidae Urophycis earlii Epinephelus fulvusGobiidae Coryphopterus sp. Epinephelus nigritusHaemulidae Haemulon aurolineatum Epinephelus niveatusHolocentridae *Corniger spinosus *Gonioplectrus hispanus

*Holocentrus bullisi *Hemanthias leptusHolocentrus adscensionis *Hemanthias vivanus

Labridae *Halichoeres bathyphilus *Liopropoma aberransBodianus pulchellus *Liopropoma eukrinesLachnolaimus maximus Liopropoma mowbrayi

Lutjanidae Lutjanus buccanella Mycteroperca interstitialisLutjanus campechanus Mycteroperca microlepisRhomboplites aurorubens Mycteroperca phenax

Mobulidae Manta birostris Paranthias furciferMolidae Mola mola *Pronotogrammus martinicensisMullidae Pseudupeneus maculatus *Rypticus saponaceusMuraenidae *Gymnothorax hubbsi Serranus annularis

Gymnothorax moringa Serranus phoebe*Gymnothorax polygonius Sparidae Calamus nodosusMuraena retifera Sphyraenidae Sphyraena barracudaMuraena robusta Synodontidae Synodus synodus

Ophichthidae Myrichthys brevicpes Synodus intermediusPomacanthidae Centropyge argi Tetraodontidae Canthigaster spp.

Holacanthus bermudensis Chilomycterus schoepfiHolacanthus ciliaris Triglidae *Bellator egretta

Mycteroperca microlepis (gag grouper)

Mycteroperca interstitialis (yellowmouth grouper)

Bicolor Phase

Mycteroperca phenax (scamp)

Cat’s Paw PhaseBrown Phase

Brown Phase

Epinephelus drummondhayi (speckled hind, kitty mitchell)

Paranthias furcifer (creole-fish)

Epinephelus niveatus (snowy grouper)

Epinephelus adscensionis (rock hind)

Many subtropical and tropical fishes inhabit North Carolina hardgrounds, including commercially important snappers and groupers. These photographs represent some commercially important species frequently seen on submersible dives. Mycteroperca interstitialis and Mycteroperca phenax are two abundant groupers observed on hardgrounds within the MPA. Rhomboplites aurorubens and Lutjanus buccanella (not shown) are two snapper species that frequent MPA and other hardgrounds.

During 2001-2003 research cruises, we targeted various outer shelf hardgrounds (68-129 m depth) off North Carolina, including two stations located within a proposed Marine Protected Area (MPA). Since 2001, we have made 15 submersible dives with the Johnson Sea Link, 9 of which were in the MPA. In 2003, we also documented by ROV the Snowy Wreck (~120 ft fishing vessel), which was previously undocumented. Our overall objectives are to document community structure, relative species abundance, and hardground habitat. Surface and mid-water collections were also taken for trophodynamic studies, larval fish distribution analyses, and Sargassum vs. open water habitat comparisons. We will continue this sampling in 2004.

Epinephelus cruentatus (graysby)

Other commonly observed

fishes include various

carangids, chaetodontid

s, holocentrids,

labrids, muraenids,

pomacentrids,

pomacanthids,

priacanthids, and

sciaenids. Species on

the right are only a few of

these commonly observed.

Priacanthus arenatus

Pristigenys alta

Holacanthus tricolor Chaetodon sedentarius

Muraena robusta Holocentrus bullisi

Corniger spinosus

Prognathodes aya

Dactylopterus volitans