Cheilodipterus Quinquelineatus Research Articles

Ear Development in Select Coral Reef Fishes: Clues for the Role of Hearing in Larval Orientation Behavior?

The pelagic larvae of coral reef fishes can detect and discriminate among different types of sounds suggesting that they may be able to localize acoustic cues and thus identify suitable settlement sites on reefs. It has been suggested that a description of ear development may provide clues about the importance of sound in larval behavior. Here we provide the first description of the ontogeny of the ear in the pelagic larvae and juveniles of representatives of three important families of coral reef fishes: Gobiidae (Elacatinus lori, E. colini), Apogonidae (Cheilodipterus quinquelineatus), and Pomacentridae (Amblyglyphidodon leucogaster, Amphiprion polymnus). Histological analysis revealed that the ear of the larvae and juveniles of the five study species lack any of the morphological specializations known in percomorph fishes. However, it showed that the ears of the two gobies are quite similar with respect to size and shape of the three otolithic organs, but that ears of the cardinalfish and damselfishes are different with respect to the absolute and relative sizes and position of the otolithic organs, as well as the timing of the appearance of the lagena; however, the functional significance of these features are unknown. It is concluded that if hearing plays a role in orientation behavior in the pelagic larvae of coral reef fishes then their “unremarkable” ears are sufficient to allow these diminutive fishes to carry out the extraordinary feat of navigating the open ocean and successfully locating coral reefs on which to settle.

Myxozoan Diversity Infecting Ornamental Fishes Imported to Australia

The ornamental fish trade provides a pathway for the global translocation of aquatic parasites. Myxozoa is comprised of highly specialized metazoan parasites of aquatic hosts with a wide host range. Interest in the group has intensified along with the development of aquaculture due to emergent pathogenic myxozoan species in both freshwater and marine environments. However, little is known on myxozoan diversity in the ornamental fish trade. We examined 630 ornamental fish imported from Asia to Australia (representing 24 fish populations, including freshwater and wild caught marine fish species) for myxozoan parasites during 2015. Fish were sampled under Australian quarantine following veterinary certification that they showed no clinical signs of pests and diseases from the exporting country and visual inspection at Australian border control. Myxozoan parasites infected 8 of 12 freshwater populations and 8 of 12 marine fish populations. A total of 12 morphologically distinct Myxobolus spores were detected amongst all goldfish, Carassius auratus populations. Myxidium spores were detected in kissing gourami, Helostoma temminckii, and Ceratomyxa sp. spores were detected in cardinal fishes, Cheilodipterus quinquelineatus, Pterapogon kauderni, and Zoramia leptocantha. Kudoa sp. spores were detected in C. quinquelineatus, Sphaeramia nematoptera and Z. leptocantha. Results of this study show that Australian pre-export health requirements and visual inspections do not reliably detect myxozoan infections. Inspection prior to exportation and at border control should account for the highly cryptic nature of myxozoan parasites and consider alternative detection methods to complement inspections at border control.

Thermal acclimation of tropical coral reef fishes to global heat waves.

As climate-driven heat waves become more frequent and intense, there is increasing urgency to understand how thermally sensitive species are responding. Acute heating events lasting days to months may elicit acclimation responses to improve performance and survival. However, the coordination of acclimation responses remains largely unknown for most stenothermal species. We documented the chronology of 18 metabolic and cardiorespiratory changes that occur in the gills, blood, spleen, and muscles when tropical coral reef fishes are thermally stressed (+3.0°C above ambient). Using representative coral reef fishes (Caesio cuning and Cheilodipterus quinquelineatus) separated by >100 million years of evolution and with stark differences in major life-history characteristics (i.e. lifespan, habitat use, mobility, etc.), we show that exposure duration illicited coordinated responses in 13 tissue and organ systems over 5 weeks. The onset and duration of biomarker responses differed between species, with C. cuning - an active, mobile species - initiating acclimation responses to unavoidable thermal stress within the first week of heat exposure; conversely, C. quinquelineatus - a sessile, territorial species - exhibited comparatively reduced acclimation responses that were delayed through time. Seven biomarkers, including red muscle citrate synthase and lactate dehydrogenase activities, blood glucose and hemoglobin concentrations, spleen somatic index, and gill lamellar perimeter and width, proved critical in evaluating acclimation progression and completion, as these provided consistent evaluation of thermal responses across species.

Contrasting effects of constant and fluctuating pCO2 conditions on the exercise physiology of coral reef fishes

Ocean acidification (OA) is predicted to affect the physiology of some fishes. To date, most studies have investigated this issue using stable pCO2 levels based on open ocean projections. Yet, most shallow, nearshore systems experience temporal and spatial pCO2 fluctuations. For example, pCO2 on coral reefs is highest at night and lowest during the day, but as OA progresses, both the average pCO2 and magnitude of fluctuations are expected to increase. We exposed four coral reef fishes – Lutjanus fulviflamma, Caesio cuning, Abudefduf whitleyi, and Cheilodipterus quinquelineatus – to ambient, stable elevated, or fluctuating elevated pCO2 conditions for 9–11 days. Then, we measured swimming performance, oxygen uptake rates, and haematological parameters during the day and at night. When compared to ambient pCO2 conditions, L. fulviflamma, C. cuning, and A. whitleyi exposed to fluctuating elevated pCO2 increased swimming performance, maximum oxygen uptake rates, and aerobic scope, regardless of time of day; whereas, the only nocturnal species studied, C. quinquelineatus, decreased maximum oxygen uptake rates and aerobic scope. Our findings suggest that exposure to fluctuating or stable elevated pCO2 can physiologically benefit some coral reef fishes; however, other species, such as the cardinalfish examined here, may be more sensitive to future OA conditions.

Analysis of organic carbon sources in tropical seagrass fish: a case study of the east coast of Hainan Province

ABSTRACTWe analysed the carbon stable isotope (δ13C) of various organic carbon sources, including particulate organic matter (POM), sediment organic matter (SOM), seagrass and its epiphytes, and compared these results with that of 36 fishes, including 27 types of demersal fishes, 6 types of midwater fishes, and 3 types of surface fishes. Our results indicated that there were significant differences in the characteristics of carbon stable isotopes of different organic carbon sources, with δ13C values ranging from −23.35 (POM) to −9.56‰ (seagrass). The range of the δ13C value of the fishes was broad, from –21.84‰ (Dendrophysa russelii) to –10.57‰ (Dasyatis akajei), indicating that fishes had a variety of food sources. For 30 of the 36 fish species, including Plotosus lineatus, Gerres erythrourus, Hypodytes rubripinnis, etc, seagrass and its epiphytes were the main contributors. For 23 of the 36 fish species, including Upeneus tragula, Dasyatis akajei, Cheilodipterus quinquelineatus, their recorded body lengths were less than respective lengths of maturity. These findings indicate that seagrass and its epiphytes are important organic carbon sources for most fishes and play a key role in the energy flow of food web in seagrass ecosystems in this study.

The complete mitochondrial genome of Archamia macropterus (Perciformes; Apogonidae) and phylogenetic studies of Perciformes

The complete mitochondrial genome sequence of Archamia macropterus was determined. The complete mitochondrial genome was 16,513 bp in length and contained 13 protein-coding genes, 22 transfer RNA genes, 2 ribosomal RNA genes, and 2 non-coding region (the control region and the origin of light strand replication). The overall base composition was A 26.37%, T 25.61%, C 30.80%, and G 17.22%. All protein-coding genes started with an ATG initiation codon, except COI used GTG. With the exception of ND6, all other genes were encoded on the heavy strand, the NJ tree demonstrated that A. macropterus has a closest relationship with Cheilodipterus quinquelineatus and Apogon semilineatus.

Behavioural thermoregulation in a temperature-sensitive coral reef fish, the five-lined cardinalfish (Cheilodipterus quinquelineatus)

As global temperatures increase, fish populations at low latitudes are thought to be at risk as they are adapted to narrow temperature ranges and live at temperatures close to their thermal tolerance limits. Behavioural movements, based on a preference for a specific temperature (T pref), may provide a strategy to cope with changing conditions. A temperature-sensitive coral reef cardinalfish (Cheilodipterus quinquelineatus) was exposed to 28 °C (average at collection site) or 32 °C (predicted end-of-century) for 6 weeks. T pref was determined using a shuttlebox system, which allowed fish to behaviourally manipulate their thermal environment. Regardless of treatment temperature, fish preferred 29.5 ± 0.25 °C, approximating summer average temperatures in the wild. However, 32 °C fish moved more frequently to correct their thermal environment than 28 °C fish, and daytime movements were more frequent than night-time movements. Understanding temperature-mediated movements is imperative for predicting how ocean warming will influence coral reef species and distribution patterns.

Alterations in gill structure in tropical reef fishes as a result of elevated temperatures

Tropical regions are expected to be some of the most affected by rising sea surface temperatures (SSTs) because seasonal temperature variations are minimal. As temperatures rise, less oxygen dissolves in water, but metabolic requirements of fish and thus, the demand for effective oxygen uptake, increase. Gill remodelling is an acclimation strategy well documented in freshwater cyprinids experiencing large seasonal variations in temperature and oxygen as well as an amphibious killifish upon air exposure. However, no study has investigated whether tropical reef fishes remodel their gills to allow for increased oxygen demands at elevated temperatures. We tested for gill remodelling in five coral reef species (Acanthochromis polyacanthus, Chromis atripectoralis, Pomacentrus moluccensis, Dascyllus melanurus and Cheilodipterus quinquelineatus) from populations in northern Papua New Guinea (2° 35.765′ S; 150° 46.193′ E). Fishes were acclimated for 12–14days to 29 and 31°C (representing their seasonal range) and 33 and 34°C to account for end-of-century predicted temperatures. We measured lamellar perimeter, cross-sectional area, base thickness, and length for five filaments on the 2nd gill arches and qualitatively assessed 3rd gill arches via scanning electron microscopy (SEM). All species exhibited significant differences in the quantitative measurements made on the lamellae, but no consistent trends with temperature were observed. SEM only revealed alterations in gill morphology in P. moluccensis. The overall lack of changes in gill morphology with increasing temperature suggests that these near-equatorial reef fishes may fail to maintain adequate O2 uptake under future climate scenarios unless other adaptive mechanisms are employed.

Intra-specific variation of Kudoa spp. (Myxosporea: Multivalvulida) from apogonid fishes (Perciformes), including the description of two new species, K. cheilodipteri n. sp. and K. cookii n. sp., from Australian waters

Kudoa spp. from the musculature and intestinal mucosa of species of the teleost family Apogonidae were examined for their taxonomic identity. Two novel species are characterised: Kudoa cheilodipteri n. sp. from the musculature of Cheilodipterus quinquelineatus Cuvier, Ostorhinchus cyanosoma (Bleeker) and O. aureus (Lacépède); and Kudoa cookii n. sp. from the submucosa of the intestines of O. cookii (Macleay) only. Both species are characterised using morphology, small subunit ribosomal DNA (SSU rDNA), large subunit ribosomal DNA (LSU rDNA), and biological characters. Three new host records, O. cyanosoma, O. aureus and Apogon doederleini, and associated geographical, morphological and genetic data are also provided for Kudoa whippsi Burger & Adlard, 2010. Morphological and molecular intra-specific variation of all isolates assigned to K. whippsi is also examined. Phylogenetic analyses further support the idea that tissue tropism is a distinguishing character between morphologically similar species; species reported here display close relatedness to morphologically similar species infecting the same tissue within their hosts.

Homing ability of adult cardinalfish is affected by elevated carbon dioxide

The levels of carbon dioxide (CO(2)) predicted for the oceans by the end of this century have recently been shown to impair olfactory discrimination in larval fishes. However, whether this disruption extends to olfactory-mediated behaviour in adult fishes is unknown. In many fishes, adult survival and reproduction can be critically dependent upon navigation to home sites. We tested the effects that near-future levels of CO(2) (550, 700 or 950 ppm) have on the ability of adult five-lined cardinalfish, Cheilodipterus quinquelineatus, to home to their diurnal resting sites after nocturnal feeding. Cardinalfish exposed to elevated CO(2) exhibited impaired ability to distinguish between odours of home- versus foreign-site conspecifics in pair-wise choice experiments. A displacement experiment demonstrated that fish from all CO(2) treatments displayed a 22-31% reduction in homing success compared with control fish when released at 200 m from home sites. While CO(2)-exposed cardinalfish released directly back onto home sites exhibited similar site fidelity to control subjects, behaviour at home sites was affected, with CO(2)-exposed fish exhibiting increased activity levels and venturing further from shelter. This study demonstrates that the potential disruption of chemosensory mechanisms in fishes due to rising CO(2) levels in the ocean extend to critical adult behaviours.

Synergistic effects of habitat preference and gregarious behaviour on habitat use in coral reef cardinalfish

Spatial distributions of coral reef fish species are potentially determined by habitat preferences and behavioural interactions. However, the relative importance of these factors and whether or not behavioural interactions reinforce or disrupt habitat associations are poorly understood. This paper explores the degree to which habitat and social preferences explain the association that three common coral reef cardinalfish species (Zoramia leptacanthus, Archamia zosterophora and Cheilodipterus quinquelineatus; family Apogonidae) have with coral substrata at Lizard Island, Great Barrier Reef. At diurnal resting sites, species were strongly associated with branching corals, with 80–90% of each species inhabiting one branching coral species, Porites cylindrica. Species were also highly gregarious, forming large con-specific and hetero-specific aggregations in coral heads, potentially reinforcing habitat associations. Three-way choice experiments were conducted to test fishes habitat preferences for living coral over dead substrata, for particular coral species, and the influence of gregarious behaviour on these habitat choices. The strength of habitat preferences differed among species, with Z. leptacanthus preferring live coral and P. cylindrica, A. zosterophora preferring P. cylindrica, whether live or dead and C. quinquelineatus exhibiting no preferences. All species were attracted to conspecifics, and for C. quinquelineatus and A. zosterophora, conspecific attraction resulted in stronger preferences for live corals. Gregarious behaviour also increased C. quinquelineatus associations with P. cylindrica. The relative strength of social attraction versus habitat preferences was investigated by comparing fish habitat preferences in the presence and/or absence of conspecifics. The presence of conspecifics on non-preferred rubble habitat reduced each species association with live coral. This study’s results indicate that in the field, habitat preferences and conspecific attraction combine to reinforce the association between cardinalfishes and a narrow range of coral substrata.

Parasitic castration of a vertebrate: Effect of the cymothoid isopod, Anilocra apogonae, on the five-lined cardinalfish, Cheilodipterus quinquelineatus

Parasitic castration, the specific blocking of host reproductive output by an individual parasite, is a host–parasite interaction common to many invertebrates, particularly crustaceans, echinoderms and molluscs. It can reduce host density, alter host population dynamics and the evolution of host life history traits. Here we show that parasitisation by a single female cymothoid isopod, Anilocra apogonae, castrates its vertebrate host, the five-lined cardinalfish, Cheilodipterus quinquelineatus. Parasitised male fish fail to mouthbrood their young. The gonads of parasitised fish are smaller and parasitised female fish have substantially fewer and smaller ova than do the gonads of unparasitised fish. As for parasitic castrators of invertebrate hosts, A. apogonae on C. quinquelineatus are uniformly dispersed amongst infested hosts (one adult female isopod per host), are site specific, and their body size is highly correlated with that of their host. These isopods are large relative to the body size of their hosts, averaging 3.8% of the weight of the host. Parasitised fish also weigh less and are shorter than unparasitised fish of the same age. Despite the presence of other potential hosts, A. apogonae only infests C. quinquelineatus. The consistency of the ecological correlates amongst known parasitic castrators suggests that the parasitic castrator host–parasite relationship will be recognised for other parasites of vertebrates.

Mancae of the parasitic cymothoid isopod, Anilocra apogonae: early life history, host-specificity, and effect on growth and survival of preferred young cardinal fishes

Juvenile parasitic cymothoid isopods (mancae) can injure or kill fishes, yet few studies have investigated their biology. While the definitive host of the adult cymothoids is usually a single host from a particular fish species, mancae may use so-called optional intermediate hosts before settling on the definitive host. Little, however, is known about these early interactions. The cymothoid isopod, Anilocra apogonae, infests the definitive host, Cheilodipterus quinquelineatus. This study examined their host preference among potential optional intermediate hosts. Their effect on the growth and mortality of the young of three apogonid fishes, including the definitive host, was investigated. The number of mancae produced per brood was positively correlated with female length. When given a choice of intermediate hosts, significantly more mancae attached to Apogon trimaculatus (Apogonidae) than to Apogon nigrofasciatus. When presented with Ap. trimaculatus and Pomacentrus amboinensis (Pomacentridae), mancae only attached to Ap. trimaculatus suggesting that mancae may show a taxonomic affiliation with preferred hosts. Mancae fed on all three apogonid species, with C. quinquelineatus being fed on earlier than Ap. trimaculatus and Ap. nigrofasciatus. Mancae feeding frequency, adjusted for fish survival, was lowest on C. quinquelineatus and highest on Ap. trimaculatus. Infested apogonids had reduced growth and increased mortality compared with uninfested fish. A. apogonae mancae can use several species of young apogonid fishes as optional intermediate hosts. Via reduced growth and increased mortality, mancae have the potential to negatively influence definitive host populations and also other young species of apogonid fishes.

Selective mortality of a coral reef damselfish: role of predator–competitor synergisms

Phenotypic variability within cohorts of juvenile organisms can serve as the basis for selective mortality. Previous studies have demonstrated the important role that predators play in this process but not the impact of competitors on selective predation. We use a combination of lab and field studies to evaluate the effect of the presence of adult competitor damselfish (Dascyllus aruanus and Pomacentrus moluccensis; family Pomacentridae) on the selective mortality of newly-arrived (settled) lemon damselfish (P. moluccensis) by resident predator fishes (Pseudochromis fuscus Pseudochromidae and Cheilodipterus quinquelineatus Apogonidae). Lab trials consisted of mesocosm experiments in which the behaviour, mortality, and physiological condition (measured as lipid content) of surviving P. moluccensis settlers from each of three treatments: (1) predators absent, (2) predators present, and (3) predators and competitors present, were compared. The field study involved stocking newly settled P. moluccensis on natural bommies (patch reefs) which had either been subject to a partial removal of resident fish (predators and competitors) or left alone. Results indicated there was very strong condition-based selective mortality in both the lab and field trials. In both cases there was a strong positive relationship between mortality and the lipid content of surviving fish; implying low-condition fish were selectively removed. The mesocosm trials indicated that the strength of mortality as well as condition selectivity was higher when competitors were present than when they were absent. Behavioural observations in the mesocosm study suggest that attention by juvenile P. moluccensis to the movements and occasional chases of the competitors (especially D. aruanus) reduced their vigilance to the predators. These results suggest the important and interactive roles which condition of newly settled reef fish and interspecific competition can play in the outcomes of post-settlement predation.

The use of fish parasites as biological indicators of anthropogenic influences in coral-reef lagoons: A case study of Apogonidae parasites in New-Caledonia

Parasite species have been widely used as fish host migration tag or as indicators of local pollution. In this paper our approach is to consider the entire parasite community as a biological indicator of the fish environmental conditions. Seven fish species belonging to the Apogonidae, Apogon bandanensis, A. cookii, A. doderleini, A. norfolkensis, A. trimaculatus, Cheilodipterus quinquelineatus and Fowleria variegata, were sampled on six stations in two bays (Grand-Rade and Sainte-Marie) around Nouméa (New-Caledonia). The two bays are submitted to urban wastewater inputs alone or combined with additional industrial inputs which influences decrease from the inner part to the entrance of each bay. A total of 592 fish were dissected for macro parasite examination. Parasites were grouped according to their taxonomical rank and development stage for the analysis. We found an inconsistent effect of the confinement between the two bays, revealing that the parasite community is not the same in the two bays. Moreover, the encysted metacercariae found in the pericardic cavity were found to be significant indicators of the specific anthropogenically impacted environmental conditions prevailing in the inner parts of the two bays. Other parasite taxa were found to be significant indicators of specific environmental conditions in one or two stations among the six sampled. Results on parasite specificity and biological life cycle of the parasite taxa found in sampled Apogonid were further compared with environmental parameters.

Site Fidelity and Homing in Tropical Coral Reef Cardinalfish: Are They Using Olfactory Cues?

A number of tropical coral reef fish hold station and display restricted home ranges. If artificially displaced, they will return to their home site. We questioned if marine fish are using the same mechanisms for home site detection as many freshwater fish, that is, by olfactory sensing of chemical signals deposited on the substrate by conspecific fish. Behavioral experiments were conducted on Lizard Island Research Station, Queensland, Australia, in 2001 and 2002. Five-lined cardinalfish (Cheilodipterus quinquelineatus) were tested in groups with split-branded cardinalfish (Apogon compressus) as a reference species and individually against Apogon leptacanthus as well as conspecifics of another reef site. The group tests showed that both species preferred artificial reef sites that had previously been occupied by conspecifics. Individual C. quinquelineatus preferred scent of conspecifics from their own reef site to that from another site. They also preferred the scent released by artificial reefs previously occupied by conspecifics of their reef site to that of similar reefs previously occupied by conspecifics of another reef site. No discrimination between species from the same reef site was obtained in experiments with individual fish. Our data suggest that cardinalfish are keeping station and are homing by use of conspecific olfactory signals.

Two-phase Recruitment of Apogonids (Pisces) on the Great Barrier Reef

Settlement and recruitment of the apogonids Apogon doederleini (Jordan & Snyder) and Cheilodipterus quinquelineatus (Cuvier) to continuous reef were examined at One Tree Island, southern Great Barrier Reef. Many settled to patch reefs in sand habitat. Moreover, peaks in settlement (over five to six days) corresponded to peak catches of potential settlers in ichthyoplankton nets at the reef crest. Few newly settled (<20 mm standard length) apogonids were found on continuous reef where juveniles and adults were abundant. A similar pattern was found on the reef slope outside the lagoon, but total abundance of both species was low in this environment. Results of tagging with tetracycline, diel censuses of patch reefs, and examination of gut contents indicated that fish of all size classes moved from daytime sites and foraged at night. Recruitment to continuous reef appears, particularly in A. doederleini, to take place in two phases: potential settlers enter the lagoon at night and settle into sand rubble habitats; fish feed at night and their night-time excursions increase with the size of the fish until they move to continuous reef as Phase 2. The monitoring of continuous reef would not have detected patterns of settlement to One Tree Island.