Reproductive characteristics of coral-reef fishes, Pomacentridae, Monodactylidae and Chaetodontidae, in the east coast of Peninsula Malaysia

Abstract

In order to understand the reproductive ecology of coral-reef fishes, fecundity which is the physiological maximum potential reproductive output, was examined in eleven families of coral-reef fishes in the east coast of Peninsula Malaysia. Three families, Pomacentridae, Monodactylidae and Chaetodontidae, with five species, Amphiprion ocellaris, Amphiprion perideraion, Abudefduf bengalensis, Monodactylus argenteus and Chaetodon octofasciatus, could collect female specimens, while all specimens were male in eight out of eleven families with sixteen species. Mean fecundities ranged from 693 to 122,247 with the lowest fecundity was found in Pomacentridae, and Chaetodontidae had the highest fecundity. Amphiprion ocellaris and A. perideraion practice parental care with demersal spawners, and such unique reproductive ecology might produce lower number of eggs to be able to increase their reproductive success compared to other coral reef fishes spawned pelagic eggs. This study provides an insight of baseline knowledge of the reproductive biology of coral-reef fishes for future studies of important fish species in coral ecosystem.