Red Hind Research Articles

Fish Acoustic Detection Algorithm Research: a deep learning app for Caribbean grouper calls detection and call types classification

In this paper, we present the first machine learning package developed specifically for fish calls identification within a specific range (0–500Hz) that encompasses four Caribbean grouper species: red hind (E. guttatus), Nassau (E. striatus), yellowfin (M. venenosa), and black (M. bonaci). Because of their ubiquity in the soundscape of the grouper’s habitat, squirrelfish (Holocentrus spp.) sounds along with vessel noise are also detected. In addition the model is also able to separate grouper species call types. This package called FADAR, the Fish Acoustic Detection Algorithm Research is a standalone user-friendly application developed in Matlab™. The concept of FADAR is the product of the evaluation of various deep learning architectures that have been presented in a series of published articles. FADAR is composed of a main algorithm that can detect all species calls including their call types. The architecture of this model is based on an ensemble approach where a bank of five CNNs with randomly assigned hyperparameters are used to form an ensemble of classifiers. The outputs of all five CNNs are combined by a fusion process for decision making. At the species level, the output of the multimodel is thus used to classify the calls in terms of their types. This is done by species specific deep learning models that have been thoroughly evaluated in the literature on the species concerned here, including transfer learning for red hind and yellowfin groupers and custom designed CNN for Nassau grouper, which has a greater number of known call types than the other species. FADAR was manually trained on a diversity of data that span various regions of the Caribbean Sea and also two recorder brands, hydrophone sensitivities, calibrations and sampling rates, including a mobile platform. This strategy has conferred FADAR substantive robustness to a diversity of noise level and sources that can be found in the grouper calls frequency band such as vessels and marine mammals. Performance metrics based on sensitivity (recall) and specificity showed the same performance level for both balanced and unbalanced datasets and at locations not used in the training set.

Using lessons learned from a multidecadal intercept survey of Puerto Rico spear fishers to improve data collection in the U.S. Caribbean

AbstractObjectiveSpearfishing is a common activity used to harvest coastal marine species worldwide and can be a significant contributor to landings of ecologically and economically relevant species. As such, it is important to monitor spearfishing catch and effort. Spearfishing is commonly practiced throughout the Caribbean, yet characteristics of this gear's fishery remain understudied in the region. Thus, the objectives of this study were to provide a description of the Puerto Rico spearfishing fishery utilizing a long‐term MRIP APAIS data set, examine the data set quality of this survey, and provide suggestions to improve MRIP implementation in the U.S. Caribbean.MethodsWe described the Puerto Rico recreational spearfishing fishery using a multidecadal (2000–2015) Marine Recreational Information Program (MRIP) Access Point Angler Intercept Survey conducted along the coast of Puerto Rico and surrounding territories. Data issues were identified in the survey results, including possible errors in measurement and identification; therefore, we limited analyses to species composition, enumeration, and mean catch rates.ResultThere were 89 species identified, with snappers (family Lutjanidae) being the most encountered family. Other economically relevant finfish frequently reported were Hogfish Lachnolaimus maximus (n = 121), Queen Triggerfish Balistes vetula (n = 115), and Red Hind Epinephelus guttatus (n = 90). Multiple reef fishes were landed during their spawning season, while prohibited by seasonal closures. Further, spearfishing accounted for 25.8% of the total harvest throughout the study period.ConclusionOur results suggest that spearfishing could be a considerable contributor to finfish landings in Puerto Rico, warranting its continued and improved monitoring in the region. Further, modifications in the design of fisheries surveys are warranted. We suggest increasing the allocation of resources, training, data quality assurance and quality control, and funding for the MRIP to maximize the accuracy of data obtained and meet MRIP U.S. Caribbean priorities. Implementation of a recreational fishing license would assist by creating a registry to monitor total recreational fishing effort and by generating funds to supplement the MRIP. The use of electronic reporting can help mitigate discrepancies with species identification and size measurements and enhance overall recreational fisheries data collection.

Characterization and temporal patterns of red hind grouper, Epinephelus guttatus, choruses at a single aggregation site over a 10-year period

Characterization and temporal patterns of red hind grouper, Epinephelus guttatus, choruses at a single aggregation site over a 10-year period

Spatial distribution of spawning groupers on a Caribbean reef from an autonomous surface platform

Many commercially important groupers (Epinephelidae) form fish spawning aggregations (FSA) at specific sites where the spawning stock is concentrated to spawn within a couple of months each year. The concentrated nature and short duration of these FSAs render these species susceptible to fishing pressure leading to their disappearance or decrease in the number of spawning fish. As a result of directed fishing during FSAs many large-bodied groupers are now International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red-listed. Puerto Rico within the US Caribbean is where protective measures have been designated for the recovery of grouper species that aggregate to spawn, in particular the threatened (Endangered Species Act) Nassau grouper (Epinephelus striatus) and sustainability of the red hind (Epinephelus guttatus). The regulations at three marine managed areas (MMAs) off the west coast of Puerto Rico, have been focused on reproductive seasons, through seasonal closures. However, these management zone boundaries may fail to fully encompass fish migration paths and temporal variability in FSAs, exposing threatened species like the Nassau grouper to incidental fishing and poaching. In addition to traditional methods used to study FSAs, passive acoustics represent a relatively new approach to assess the presence and spatio-temporal distribution of aggregating species. Sound production is common among many fishes, including the Nassau and red hind groupers, and is most often associated with courtship and spawning behavior. In this study, we present the results from the deployment of an autonomous surface vehicle equipped with a passive acoustic monitoring system along the insular shelf break that surveyed the MMAs during their peak spawning season. Our observations suggest that known FSA sites are critical habitat for both species and the existence of potential, previously unknown FSAs for multiple grouper species as well, highlighting the importance of spatial and temporal expansion of existing regulations.

Demographic Recovery of a Reef Fish Population Over 30 Years of Spawning Aggregation Site Protection

Over 200 species of reef fish around the world form spawning aggregations to reproduce at specific times and locations. The locations of many reef fish spawning aggregations in the Caribbean have been known and fished for decades. Red Hind (Epinephelus guttatus), a species of grouper important in Caribbean fisheries, migrate to form spawning aggregations which have historically experienced intense fishing pressure. The Red Hind Bank Marine Conservation District (MCD) was established in the United States Virgin Islands to protect a known Red Hind spawning aggregation site. The MCD was closed seasonally to fishing in 1990 and then permanently in 1999. Our goal was to evaluate the success of this marine conservation effort by assessing how the Red Hind population at the spawning aggregation responded to changing levels of protection. We documented Red Hind population demographics at the spawning aggregation site in the MCD during peak spawning events from 2018 to 2020. After 30 years of protection, the mean size of Red Hind at the spawning aggregation increased by >35% and the population sex ratio of females to males was less skewed compared to population characteristics at the spawning aggregation prior to protection. To evaluate stock status relative to management benchmarks, we used length-based stock assessment models that includedin situsize distribution data spanning 1988 to 2020 to estimate population spawning potential ratio (SPR) over time. We found that the SPR of the Red Hind population at the spawning aggregation prior to protection was 0.32 (95% CI: 0.25, 0.39) and under seasonal protection, The SPR increased slightly to 0.35 (95% CI: 0.28, 0.42). Under permanent protection, The SPR increased to its highest value yet at 0.49 (95% CI: 0.42, 0.56), which is above the benchmark value considered sustainable for many fish species. Our work demonstrates demographic recovery of the protected Red Hind spawning population and highlights the value of using size distribution data to evaluate the response of data-limited reef fish populations to seasonal and permanent protection at spawning aggregation sites.

Passive acoustics as a tool to quantify/characterize vessel activity at fish spawning aggregation sites

The vulnerability of fish spawning aggregations (FSA) to fishing pressure has led to seasonal fishing bans for certain aggregating reef-fish species and seasonal or permanent closures of known FSA sites throughout the Caribbean. While discerning the degree of compliance with fisheries regulations is essential in evaluating their success, this information can be scarce when opportunistic surveillance from enforcement vessels is minimal or absent. We used passive acoustic recorders to determine the temporal patterns of vessel activity at three red hind, Epinephelus guttatus, spawning aggregation sites off western Puerto Rico with varying levels of protection (Buoy 4: no regulation, Abrir la Sierra (ALS): seasonal closure, and Mona: permanent closure) during the closed (January and February) and open (March) periods for the capture of red hind. We proposed that dynamic vessel sounds (e.g., gear shifting, sudden changes in speed) at known FSA sites and during aggregating periods could be indicative of fishing activity. A band-limited energy detector was used to detect vessel sounds, with detections grouped into discreate vessel events and classified as having only constant vessel sounds or containing dynamic vessel sounds. While most of the vessel events consisted of constant vessel sounds at all sites, events with dynamic vessel sounds were greatest at Buoy 4, followed by ALS and only one detected at Mona. Average events with dynamic vessel sounds were greater during the closed than the open period at Buoy 4, while the opposite was found at ALS, and red hind calling activity was significantly correlated with vessel detections during 3 years at Buoy 4. Results suggest fishers may have been targeting red hind at Buoy 4 despite red hind's seasonal closure, and the site-specific regulations at ALS may have served as a deterrent and divert fishing effort towards other areas. Acoustic records can reveal high-resolution temporal patterns of vessel activity and of events with dynamic vessel sounds, which could be used to infer about fishing activities and complement other surveys to provide estimates of compliance.

Grouper source levels and aggregation dynamics inferred from passive acoustic localization at a multispecies spawning site.

Four species of grouper (family Epinephlidae), Red Hind (Epinephelus guttatus), Nassau (Epinephelus striatus), Black (Mycteroperca bonaci), and Yellowfin Grouper (Mycteroperca venenosa) share an aggregation site in Little Cayman, Cayman Islands and produce sounds while aggregating. Continuous observation of these aggregations is challenging because traditional diver or ship-based methods are limited in time and space. Passive acoustic localization can overcome this challenge for sound-producing species, allowing observations over long durations and at fine spatial scales. A hydrophone array was deployed in February 2017 over a 9-day period that included Nassau Grouper spawning. Passive acoustic localization was used to find positions of the grouper-produced calls recorded during this time, which enabled the measurement of call source levels and evaluation of spatiotemporal aspects of calling. Yellowfin Grouper had the lowest mean peak-to-peak (PP) call source level, and Nassau Grouper had the highest mean PP call source level (143.7 and 155.2 dB re: 1 μPa at 1 m for 70-170 Hz, respectively). During the days that Nassau Grouper spawned, calling peaked after sunset. Similarly, when Red Hind calls were abundant, calls were highest in the afternoon and evening. The measured source levels can be used to estimate communication and detection ranges and implement passive acoustic density estimation for these fishes.

17 Determination of Various Dietary Levels of Inorganic Zinc onin Vitro Dry Matter Disappearance of Diets Fed to Cervids as Compared to Other Established Protocols

Abstract The captive white-tailed deer breeding industry has an estimated economic impact of $1.6 billion, annually. However, nutritional requirements for cervids are determined through previous research based on sheep and goats. The objective of this study was to develop a methodology for harvesting rumen fluid from cervids for in vitro fermentation to analyze differences in dry matter disappearance with varying levels of supplemental zinc sulfate (ZnSO4). Rumen fluid was collected in conjunction with private hunts with partnership from a high fence producer. A European red hind (Cervus elaphus) and axis doe (Axis axis) were collected at separate times, each having a fermentation period utilizing the operating protocol for the Daisy incubator and A200 Fiber analyzer (Ankom Technology, Macedon, NY). The gastrointestinal tract was removed and tied at the terminal end of the esophagus and the beginning of the duodenum to prevent leakage. The tract was placed in a cooler with water at 39oC and transported to the laboratory in Huntsville, Texas. Each jar (3) served as an experimental unit, with Zn doses of 0.36, 3.6, and 36 g/d equivalents as treatments. Filter bags were filled with feed provided by the producer for the incubator prior to collection. Followed by Neutral Detergent Fiber (NDF) and Acid Detergent Fiber (ADF) analysis with the fiber analyzer. The red deer NDF and ADF values ranged from 27.8% to 20.6% and 15.7% to 13.7% based on treatment, respectively. The axis NDF and ADF values ranged from 18.8% to 20.0% and 11.0% to 12.5% based on treatment, respectively. Previous in vitro digestibility studies conducted on sheep and cattle have produced similar NDF and ADF values with similar feed products. This preliminary study illustrated that the protocol is viable and will produce appropriate IVDMD results from NDF and ADF after in vitro rumination.

A new species of the genus Caryanda Stål, 1878 (Orthoptera: Acrididae) from Thailand

Caryanda zheminzhengi sp. n. is described and illustrated from Thailand. The new species is similar to C. beybienkoi Storozhenko, 2005 but differs by the cingular valves of penis equal to apical penis valves and by completely red hind tibia, while in C. beybienkoi the cingular valves of penis distinctly longer than apical penis valves and hind tibia blue and red.

Grouper source levels and aggregation dynamics inferred from passive acoustic localization at a multispecies spawning site

Red hind ( Epinephelus guttatus) and Nassau (E. striatus), black (Mycteroperca bonaci), and yellowfin grouper (M. venenosa) form spawning aggregations in Little Cayman, Cayman Islands and produce sound during these aggregations. Continuous observation of these aggregations is challenging because traditional methods are limited in time and space. Passive acoustic localization can overcome some of these challenges in case of sound-producing species, allowing observations over long durations and fine spatial scales. A hydrophone array was deployed in February 2017 over a nine-day period that included Nassau grouper spawning. Hyperbolic localization was used to find positions of the grouper producing calls during this time, to measure call source levels, and evaluate spatiotemporal aspects of calling. During the days Nassau grouper spawned, calling peaked after sunset from 19:00 to 21:00. Similarly, when red hind calls were most abundant, they peaked from 16:00 to 21:00. The mean peak-to-peak source levels of calls was 143.7 dB for yellowfin grouper and 154.9 dB for Nassau grouper (re: 1 μPa at 1 m for 70 to 170 Hz). The measured source levels can be used to determine communication and detection ranges and develop passive acoustic density estimation methods for these fishes.

Potential for grouper acoustic competition and partitioning at a multispecies spawning site off Little Cayman, Cayman Islands

MEPS Marine Ecology Progress Series Contact the journal Facebook Twitter RSS Mailing List Subscribe to our mailing list via Mailchimp HomeLatest VolumeAbout the JournalEditorsTheme Sections MEPS 634:127-146 (2020) - DOI: https://doi.org/10.3354/meps13181 Potential for grouper acoustic competition and partitioning at a multispecies spawning site off Little Cayman, Cayman Islands Katherine C. Wilson1,*, Brice X. Semmens1, Christy V. Pattengill-Semmens2, Croy McCoy3,4, Ana Širović1,5 1Scripps Institution of Oceanography, 8622 Kennel Way, San Diego, California 92037, USA 2Reef Environmental Education Foundation (REEF), PO Box 246, Key Largo, Florida 33037, USA 3Cayman Islands Department of Environment, Box 10202, Grand Cayman KY1-1002, Cayman Islands 4Bangor University, Bangor LL57 2DG, UK 5Texas A&M University Galveston, PO Box 1675, Galveston, Texas 77553, USA 6Present address: NOAA Fisheries Office of Science and Technology, 1315 East West Highway, SIlver Spring, Maryland 20910, USA *Corresponding author: katherine.c.wilson11@gmail.com ABSTRACT: Many fishes produce calls during spawning that aid in species and mate recognition. When multiple sound-producing species inhabit an area, the detection range may decrease and limit call function. Acoustic partitioning, the separation of calls in time, space, or spectral frequency, can minimize interference among species and provide information about fish behavior and ecology, including possible response to increasing anthropogenic noise. We investigated acoustic partitioning among 4 sound-producing epinephelids, Nassau grouper Epinephelus striatus, red hind E. guttatus, black grouper Mycteroperca bonaci, and yellowfin grouper M. venenosa, using passive acoustic data collected at Little Cayman, Cayman Islands, during the spawning season of 2015 to 2017. We measured spectral and temporal features of 9 call types known or presumed to be produced by these fishes to assess frequency partitioning and call discrimination. We assessed call temporal and spatial partitioning using recordings from 2 locations. Differences among call features enabled good discrimination of Nassau grouper and red hind but not black and yellowfin grouper. The median peak frequencies of calls differed but bandwidths shared a common 13 Hz range, resulting in limited partitioning of spectral space. Red hind produced calls with higher frequencies than other species. Black grouper calling peaked before sunset whereas other species’ calling peaked after sunset. Yellowfin grouper calling was prevalent north of other species, suggesting spatial separation. These results indicated separation in space and time between species calls, which aids in acoustic partitioning. When this separation did not occur, unique call structures were present, which may aid in effective intraspecies communication. KEY WORDS: Grouper · Spawning aggregation · Fish bioacoustics · Acoustic niche · Acoustic partitioning Full text in pdf format Supplementary material PreviousNextCite this article as: Wilson KC, Semmens BX, Pattengill-Semmens CV, McCoy C, Širović A (2020) Potential for grouper acoustic competition and partitioning at a multispecies spawning site off Little Cayman, Cayman Islands. Mar Ecol Prog Ser 634:127-146. https://doi.org/10.3354/meps13181 Export citation RSS - Facebook - Tweet - linkedIn Cited by Published in MEPS Vol. 634. Online publication date: January 23, 2020 Print ISSN: 0171-8630; Online ISSN: 1616-1599 Copyright © 2020 Inter-Research.

Red hind Epinephelus guttatus Vocal Repertoire Characterization, Behavior and Temporal Patterns

Passive acoustic monitoring provides a method for studying grouper courtship associated sounds (CAS). For Red Hind (Epinephelus guttatus), this approach has documented spatio—temporal patterns in their spawning aggregations. This study described vocalizations produced by E. guttatus and their respective behavioral contexts in field and laboratory studies. Five sound types were identified, which included 4 calls recorded in captivity and one sound recorded in the wild, labeled as Chorus. Additionally, the Grunt call type recorded was presumed to be produced by a female. Call types consisted of variations and combinations of low frequency (50—450 Hz) pulses, grunts and tonal sounds in different combinations. Common call types exhibited diel and lunar oscillations during the spawning season, with both field and captive recordings peaking daily at 1800 AST and at 8 days after the full moon.

Classification of red hind grouper call types using random ensemble of stacked autoencoders.

In this paper, a method is introduced for the classification of call types of red hind grouper, an important fishery resource in the Caribbean that produces sounds associated with reproductive behaviors during yearly spawning aggregations. For the undertaken task, two distinct call types of red hind are analyzed. An ensemble of stacked autoencoders (SAEs) is then designed by randomly selecting the hyperparameters of SAEs in the network. These hyperparameters include a number of hidden layers in each SAE and a number of nodes in each hidden layer. Spectrograms of red hind calls are used to train this randomly generated ensemble of SAEs one at a time. Once all individual SAEs are trained, this ensemble is used as a whole to classify call types of red hind. More specifically, the outputs of individual SAEs are combined with a fusion mechanism to produce a final decision on the call type of the input red hind sound. Experimental results show that the innovative approach produces superior results in comparison with those obtained by non-ensemble methods. The algorithm reliably classified red hind call types with over 90% accuracy and successfully detected some calls missed by human observers.

Ciguatoxin prevalence in 4 commercial fish species along an oceanic exposure gradient in the US Virgin Islands.

Ciguatera fish poisoning is a seafood-toxin illness resulting from consumption of fish contaminated with ciguatoxins. Managing ciguatera fish poisoning is complex. It is made easier, however, by local fishers from endemic areas reporting regional predictability for local fish species' ciguatera fish poisoning risk, which the present study then tested. We investigated the prevalence of ciguatoxins in 4 commonly marketed and consumed species (Balistes vetula, Haemulon plumierii, Ocyurus chrysurus, and Epinephelus guttatus) across an oceanic gradient (north, south, east, and west) from the US Virgin Islands. Fish muscle extracts were analyzed for Caribbean ciguatoxins using an in vitro mouse neuroblastoma (N2a) cytotoxicity assay and confirmed by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Fish collected from the north location had 0 fish with detectable ciguatoxins; this site also had the greatest wave energy. Caribbean ciguatoxins in fish ranged from 0.01 to 0.11, 0.004 to 0.10, and 0.005 to 0.18 ng Caribbean ciguatoxin-1 eq/g, from the west, east, and south respectively. Ciguatoxin-like activity was detectable by the N2a assay in 40, 41, 50, and 70% of H. plumierii, O. chrysurus, B. vetula, and E. guttatus, respectively. Of the fish collected, 4% had Caribbean ciguatoxin levels exceeding the US Food and Drug Administration guidance of 0.1 ng Caribbean ciguatoxin-1 eq/g fish. These findings concurred with spatial ciguatera fish poisoning prevalence information provided by local fishers in the US Virgin Islands and demonstrate how partnerships between researchers and fishers can aid the improvement of science-based ciguatera fish poisoning management. Environ Toxicol Chem 2018;39:1852-1863. Published 2018 Wiley Periodicals Inc. on behalf of SETAC. This article is a US government work and, as such, is in the public domain in the United States of America.

A generalized model for communicating individuality through teleost swim bladder modulation.

ABSTRACTArguments have been made for and against the traditional swim bladder model as a primary component of fish vocalization. This paper presents arguments for decoupled forced and resonant responses being extractable features within a variable air volume. As such, a mechanical analog is used to show how envelope modulation may be used by some species to identify air volume and consequently size in conspecifics. These arguments consider how an arbitrary fish may apply a genetic strategy of forcing vocalization through slow, fast, or both slow and fast sonic musculature while amplitude modulating via swim bladder. The classic resonant bubble model is revised to account for a hypothetical carrier signal resonance associated with static or varying volume. In the absence of live specimens, a test is conducted in different cylindrical structures with equally sized air volumes. First, a proposed method for extraction of swim bladder volume features through blind amplitude demodulated signals in the time and frequency domain is applied. Second, a proposed method for extraction of swim bladder volume features through cyclostationary analysis of the cross-spectral coherent spectra of the modulated and demodulated signal is applied. Both methods take average frequency content as derived by the prescribed signal processing techniques as the input to the correlator functions used to identify air volumes. Vocalizations of Epinephelus guttatus, or more commonly known as the red hind grouper, are used as test signals.

Aplicación de elefan y la curva de captura en la estimación de la edad del mero cabrilla (Epinephelus guttatus) en la costa oeste de Puerto Rico.

Para estimar la edad del Mero cabrilla se analizó la información tomada de diferentes puertos pesqueros de la costa oeste de Puerto Rico, entre enero de 92 y diciembre de 93. El tamaño de la muestra fue de 979 y 585 para los años 1992 y 1993, respectivamente. Se utilizó un intervalo de clase de 1.5cm, excluyendo los valores menores de 15cm y los mayores de 55cm de longitud estándar (LS) para evitar al máximo la distorsión que se pudiese presentar. La tasa de crecimiento (K) y la longitud asintónica se obtuvieron usando ELEFAN 1 y la temperatura es la media anual tomada en los muestreos (Olaya-Nieto 1999). Tales valores se utilizaron para obtener la edad del Mero cabrilla mediante ELEFAN 1 y tallas convertidas en curva de captura (LCCC) parapoder hacer las comparaciones respectivas. La estimación de la edad aplicando los dos métodos arroja valores de 15 años para ELEFAN y LCCC en 1992 y 1993, respectivamente. La máxima longitud estándar muestreada en este trabajo fue mayor que las reportadas por otros autores; sin embargo, debió extraerse para evitar sesgos y sobreestimaciones en la edad. La talla media de captura estimada fue de 29.9 y 30.0cm para los años 1992 y 1993, respectivamente, sin presentar diferencias significativas aplicando el t-test (p>0.001), siendo menorque las obtenidas por otros autores. A pesar de que este trabajo se basa en muestreos en los puertos de desembarco, la estimación de la edad del Mero cabrilla muestra valores bien cercanos a los reportados mediante lecturas de otolitos en otras áreas como Bermuda, Puerto Rico y Saint Thomas, y mucho mayores a North Carolina/Florida, confirmándose que es un pez de larga vida. La aplicación de los dos métodos en este trabajo es menos complicada, menos dispendiosa y menos costosa que para los demás métodos. Aunque siemprehabrá diferencias con las estimaciones de edad mediante lectura de estructuras rígidas, se pueden obtener resultados con un nivel del 90% de confianza, muy importante para los países del tercer mundo.

Determining conservation potential of an opportunistically defined MPA boundary using fish telemetry

Marine protected areas (MPA) that are created opportunistically must be evaluated in an ecological context to ensure that conservation goals and societal expectations are achievable. This study used acoustic telemetry to investigate movements of reef fish relative to the boundary of the Virgin Islands Coral Reef National Monument (VICRNM) in Coral Bay, U.S. Virgin Islands. Although created to enhance ecosystem protection, VICRNM boundaries were established purely on the basis of adjacency to public versus privately owned lands. Transmitters were implanted into a diversity of reef fish species representative of the local community whose movements were logged for one year on an array of acoustic-receivers that were positioned within, outside, and along the MPA boundary. Results indicate that the boundary has coincidentally aligned with a deep sandy area that does not cross through continuous reef or mangrove habitat. This acted as a natural barrier to movements of species such as Lutjanus griseus, Epinephelus guttatus, Cephalopholus cruentatus, Holocentrus rufus, and Sparisoma aurofrenatum. Other species were more mobile and were routinely detected outside VICRNM, especially at night, such as L. synagris, Haemulon plumierii, and H. sciurus. In addition to fish movements in relation to the VICRNM boundary, network analysis revealed several hotspots of concentrated fish activity including a reef promontory and bay mouths. Investment in enforcement of existing regulations to protect fish is warranted to realize the full potential of this MPA. Using these types of data, management actions in this and other MPAs can be focused on those species and locations that would experience the greatest benefit.

Non-linear analysis as a hierarchal classification scheme for vocalizing marine biologics

Many ocean animals use acoustic communications. Breeding, territorial aggression, and hunting actions often include some form, often complex, and can provide actionable intelligence on the vocalizing animals' intent. As a means of considering the linear features of the time series and the corresponding spectral and cyclic frequency content as it pertains to different classes of animals, a hierarchy termed periodic linear, periodic non-linear, and aperiodic non-linear structural vocalization is considered. To demonstrate the application of such a hierarchy, known vocalizations from the red hind grouper (Epinephelus guttatus), the four lined grunter (Pelates quadrilineatus), the spiny lobster (Panulirus argus) are considered and analyzed for grouping according to the hierarchy based on their time, spectral, and cyclic signal content. Finally, a vocalization collected from the invasive Lionfish (Pterois volitans), understood at the time of publication to be the first such recorded instance, is exercised against the hierarchy to show membership identification.

Acoustic competition of Serranids at a fish spawning aggregation

Many fish species are known to produce stereotyped calls during spawning activities. It has been hypothesized that these calls play a vital role in coordination during this critical period. Competition for acoustic space can result in masking of calls and, as a result, may limit their function. Acoustic niche separation could be a solution to avoid acoustic competition for species that co-occur in a geographic area. The data from passive acoustic arrays deployed in Little Cayman, Cayman Islands, between 2015 and 2017 during the spawning of one of the largest aggregations of Nassau grouper (Epinephelus striatus) have been analyzed to explore acoustic niches in Serranids. At least three other vocal Serranid species are known to spawn at this location during the same time as Nassau grouper: red hind (E. guttatus), black grouper (Mycteroperca bonaci), and yellowfin grouper (M. venenosa). Call characteristics, such as the peak frequency, bandwidth, source level, and pulse period, were analyzed for all distinct calls from these species. In addition, temporal and spatial patterns of those calls were evaluated, allowing a detailed understanding of the communication space and acoustic competition potential for these cohabitating species.

Molecular assessment of three species of Anilocra (Isopoda, Cymothoidae) ectoparasites from Caribbean coral reef fishes, with the description of Anilocra brillae sp. n.

A morphological review and molecular characterization of Anilocra haemuli Bunkley Williams & Williams, 1981, were completed using specimens collected from Haemulon flavolineatum Desmarest, 1823 (French grunt) and Epinephelus guttatus Linnaeus, 1758 (red hind). Molecular and morphological data suggest that the isopods parasitizing H. flavolineatum and E. guttatus are different species. The specimens collected from E. guttatus are recognized as a new species, Anilocra brillae sp. n. Differences between Anilocra brillae sp. n. and A. haemuli include but are not limited to the pleonites 1–3 of A. brillae sp. n. being wider than 4–5 and 4–5 subequal, whereas the pleonites 1–2 of A. haemuli are wider than 3–5, and 3–5 are subequal. The seventh pereopod of A. brillae sp. n. is proportionally larger, has more robust setae, and the setae are distributed more extensively over the articles when compared to A. haemuli. Additionally, this study provides the first genetic characterization of three Anilocra spp. from the Caribbean, and is based on mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit gene (COI) for A. haemuli from H. flavolineatum, A. brillae sp. n. from E. guttatus, and A. chromis Bunkley Williams & Williams, 1981 from Chromis multilineata Guichenot, 1853.