Palaemonidae Research Articles

Evolutionary history of genus Macrobrachium inferred from mitochondrial markers: a molecular clock approach

Caridea, an infraorder of shrimps coming under Pleocyemata was first reported from the oceans before 417 million years followed by their radiation recorded during the Permian period. Hitherto, about 3877 extant caridean species were accounted within which one quarter constitute freshwater species. Freshwater prawns of genus Macrobrachium (Infraorder Caridea; Family Palaemonidae), with more than 240 species are inhabitants of diverse aquatic habitats like coastal lagoons, lakes, tropical streams, ponds and rivers. Previous studies on Macrobrachium relied on the highly variable morphological characters which were insufficient for accurate diagnosis of natural species groups. Present study focuses on the utility of molecular markers (viz. COI and 16S rRNA) for resolving the evolutionary history of genus Macrobrachium using a combination of phylogeny and timescale components. It is for the first time a molecular clock approach had been carried out towards genus Macrobrachium in a broad aspect with the incorporation of congeners inhabiting diverse geographical realms including endemic species M. striatum from South West coast of India. Molecular results obtained revealed the phylogenetic relationships between congeners of genus Macrobrachium at intra/inter-continental level along with the corresponding evolutionary time estimates.

Multiple origins and strong phenotypic convergence in fish-cleaning palaemonid shrimp lineages

Several species of palaemonid shrimps are known to act as fish-cleaning symbionts, with cleaning interactions ranging from dedicated (obligate) to facultative. We confirmed five evolutionarily independent origins of fish cleaning symbioses within the family Palaemonidae based on a phylogenetic analysis and the ancestral state reconstruction of 68 species, including 13 fish-cleaners from the genera Ancylomenes, Brachycarpus, Palaemon, Periclimenes, and Urocaridella. We focus in particular on two distantly related lineages of fish cleaning shrimps with allopatric distributions, the Indo-West Pacific Ancylomenes and the western Atlantic monophyletic Ancylomenes/Periclimenes group, which exhibit striking similarities in morphology, colouration and complex behaviour. Specifically, representatives of both lineages are similar in: (1) the general body shape and colour pattern; (2) the utilization of sea anemones as conspicuous cleaning stations; and (3) the use of sideways body swaying to visually promote their bright colour spots in order to attract fish clients. Such morphological, ecological and ethological convergences are apparently due to adaptations to fish cleaning linked to the establishment of similar modes of communication with fish clients in these species.

Особенности количественного распределения рыб и десятиногих ракообразных в дельте реки Меконг в меженный период 2018 г.

Впервые изучены особенности количественного распределения рыб и десятиногих ракообразных донно-придонного сообщества гидробионтов в нижней части дельты р. Меконг — в шести основных протоках р. Тиен и в прилегающей к их устьям прибрежной морской зоне. Сбор материала осуществлялся в меженный период с апреля по июнь 2018 г. стандартным промысловым бимтралом от предустьевой морской зоны вверх по течению проток на расстояние до 110 км. Средняя масса улова — около 30 кг, максимальная — 100 и более кг, однако средний уровень вылова рыб и ракообразных составлял 1,5 кг, наибольший — 4 кг, а остальная часть приходилась на мусор и остатки растительности. Для сравнительного анализа пространственной изменчивости обилия рыб и десятиногих ракообразных на 36 станциях вычислены средние удельные показатели численности и биомассы по результатам 102 тралений. Установлены весьма широкие пределы вариаций количественных показателей. Так, удельная численность рыб колебалась от 23,4 до 1978,2 (в среднем — 333,3) экз.·га-1, десятиногих ракообразных — от 10,6 до 5091,5 (358,1) экз.·га-1, биомасса этих групп гидробионтов составляла 219,1–22773,5 (1969,9) г·га-1 и 31,4–9337,1 (740,6) г·га-1 соответственно. Выявлены основные закономерности пространственного распределения плотности гидробионтов. Отмечено увеличение средней удельной численности рыб в верхней части исследованных водотоков до 656,2 экз.·га-1, что вдвое превышает показатель в целом по дельте, при относительно равномерном распределении средней удельной биомассы, связанном с присутствием молоди массовых промысловых видов и мелкоразмерных рыб. Тренды пространственного распределения численности и биомассы десятиногих ракообразных весьма близки; наибольшие их показатели зарегистрированы в устьях рек и в приустьевой морской зоне дельты за счёт появления в составе сообществ креветок подотряда Dendrobrachiata (пенеидные креветки) и представителей подотряда Pleocyemata (крабы). Среди рыб в меженный период доминировали представители морских по происхождению семейств: пальцепёрые (Polynemidae), ариевые сомы (Ariidae) и анчоусовые (Engraulidae), доля которых в общем вылове по относительной численности составляла 39,4, 20,4 и 13,4 % соответственно, по биомассе — 28,5, 34,9 и 9,2 %, преимущественно за счёт эвригалинных эстуарных и прибрежных (шельфовых) видов. Среди десятиногих ракообразных преобладали морские креветки (семейства Penaeidae и Aristeidae) и пресноводные (семейство Palaemonidae). Представители семейства карповых (Cyprinidae) (одного из наиболее богатых по разнообразию, численности и биомассе в дельте р. Меконг), равно как и представители ряда других семейств пресноводных рыб, за исключением акизовых сомов (Akysidae), не характеризовались обилием, что связано с их миграциями в сухой сезон вверх по течению реки. Проанализировано влияние некоторых антропогенных факторов на количественные показатели донно-придонных сообществ. Одной из причин довольно низких средних значений плотности рыб и десятиногих ракообразных могут быть высокие концентрации твёрдых бытовых и промышленных отходов, особенно в районах населённых пунктов: это может оказывать негативное влияние на питание и нагул, а также на жизненные циклы данных гидробионтов в целом. Отмечены аномалии связей между показателями распределения солёности воды, удельной плотности рыб и ракообразных в районе плотины на р. Балай. Выше по течению от плотины вода пресная, ниже — солёная (соответствующий показатель придонного слоя достигает 17 ‰), при этом более высокие значения средней удельной численности рыб отмечены у нижнего бьефа плотины, а средней удельной биомассы — у верхнего. Здесь отмечены низкие средние удельные значения численности и биомассы десятиногих ракообразных, что связано, возможно, с прекращением нерестовых миграций представителей семейств как морских, так и пресноводных креветок. Полученные результаты могут быть использованы как базовые для последующего мониторинга изменения структурных характеристик придонных сообществ рыб и десятиногих ракообразных дельты р. Меконг.

Complete mitochondrial genome of the freshwater prawn Palaemon capensis (Crustacea: Palaemonidae)

The complete mitogenome of Palaemon capensis is presented here. The mitogenome is 15,925 bp in length and comprises 13 protein coding genes, 2 ribosomal subunit genes, 22 transfer RNAs, and a non-coding AT-rich region. The PCGs were used to perform a phylogenetic analysis together with other Caridea representatives with mitogenome data from GenBank, placing P. capensis sister to a clade comprising P. serenus, P. gravieri, and P. carinicauda in the family Palaemonidae.

A biophysical observation of Mahakam River around Tanjung Una of Kutai Kartanegara, Indonesia

Suyatna, I, Mislan. A. Rahman A. Winta Wijaya YI. 2017. A biophysical observation of Mahakam River around Tanjung Una of Kutai Kartanegara, Indonesia. Biodiversitas 18: 623-632. The aim of this study is to dig up more information about the biophysical conditions of Mahakam River around Tanjung Una of Kutai Kartanegara, Indonesia including the fishery potential in these locations. The observations were conducted in two periods. Through field surveys, the sample of fish and shrimp were caught with pulled nets from many stations, while to know the water quality around the location of the observation, water sampling was conducted and then the sample was brought to a laboratory to be analyzed in order to find out its quality. On the scale of taxonomy and ecology, community structure of fish and shrimp from 21 species of fish consisted of 17 families, five orders, and one class. For the shrimp, it was only four identified species of the genus Macrobrachium family Palaemonidae and genus Metapenaeus family Penaeidae ordo Decapoda class Malacostraca. The distribution of the length and weight of fish and shrimp was found out to be small. The value of the diversity index between the fish and shrimp showed low to moderate with a value of D: 0.150 to 0.601; H': from 0.986 to 2.089, E: 0.268 to 0.621 and Margalef: 1,475-2,345 for the fish and a value of D: 0.325 to 0.688, H': from 0.615 to 1.205, E: 0.462 to 0.834 and Margalef: from 0.490 to 0.614 for the shrimp. The index indicated that there were species that tend to dominate other species. The species richness was low. Physical-chemical properties and heavy metal content in the Mahakam River around Tanjung Una were generally still below the quality standard. The observations concluded that the number of marine fish species was found two times higher than the river fish species, but not to the number of population.

Palaemonid shrimps (Crustacea: Decapoda) of Saudi Arabia from the ‘Red Sea Biodiversity Survey’ 2011–2013, with 11 new records for the Red Sea

In the material collected within the Saudi Arabian-German cooperation project ‘Red Sea Biodiversity Survey’ 2011–2013 along the Saudi Arabian coasts of the Red Sea, 29 species of shrimps of the family Palaemonidae were recognized. From those, 13 species are for the first time recorded from Saudi Arabia, from which 11 species represent the first records from the Red Sea as well. Among them, species of the genera Paranchistus, Urocaridella, and Yemenicaris represent new generic records for the Red Sea. Based on published reports and present data, 73 palaemonid species are actually known from the Red Sea. The present study thus shows a diversity greater than 20 species (37.7%) in comparison with the knowledge in 1983 (53 species) when the major part of palaemonid shrimps was last reviewed for the Red Sea by Bruce and Svoboda (1983).

The 'scorpion shrimp', a new species of the genus Metapontonia (Crustacea: Decapoda: Palaemonidae) from Taiwan, with new generic record from Papua New Guinea.

A new species of shrimp Metapontonia scorpio symbiotic with scleractinian coral Diploastrea heliopora is described from Taiwan. The species belongs to the smallest symbiotic shrimps of the family Palaemonidae. It is remarkable by a unique ability to turn its last two pleonites with tail fan dorsally over the 4^th and preceding pleonal segments, thus resembling scorpions. For such movement, the respective opposing dorsal margins of the 4^th-6^th segments are deeply concave. The new species is characterized by a short dorsally directed rostrum, incomplete orbit, semicircular scaphocerite, and medially concave basal antennular segment. The only species of the genus, M. fungiacola, is compared with the new species based on morphology and DNA. Metapontonia fungiacola is for the first time reported from Taiwan and Papua New Guinea. The morphological and colour variability of the species is discussed. The scleractinian corals Platygyra lamellina (Merulinidae), Lobophyllia hemprichii, cf. Micromusa sp., Symphyllia cf. radians (Lobophylliidae), and Galaxea sp. (Oculinidae), are new host records for the species.

Population Structure and Relative Growth of Freshwater Prawn Macrobrachium amazonicum (Heller, 1862) (Crustacea, Palaemonidae) in Two Regions of the State of Amapá, Amazon River Mouth, Brazil

Macrobrachium amazonicum e um camarao nativo vastamente distribuido em bacias da America do Sul, largamente explorada por pescadores artesanais no Norte e Nordeste do Brasil e com grande potencial para aquicultura. Este estudo teve como objetivo analisar a biologia da populacao, com enfase na razao sexual, distribuicao de frequencia de tamanho e descrever as equacoes matematicas referentes ao crescimento relativo. Os especimes foram analisados em termos de estrutura da populacao, razao sexual, distribuicao de frequencia de tamanho, recrutamento e o crescimento relativo sendo comparado por sexo e estacoes. Um numero de 5.179 (2,977 femeas e 2.192 machos) foram coletados mensalmente, utilizando 20 matapis. A proporcao entre os sexos em ambas as areas foi favoravel as femeas com 1:1,36 na Ilha de Santana e 1:1,41 em mazagao Velho. A distribuicao mensal de frequencia absoluta de juvenis, machos e femeas adultas variou de acordo com a estacao nas duas areas estudadas. As femeas adultas foram mais abundantes no periodo mais chuvoso; enquanto na estacao menos chuvosa os machos e femeas adultas foram igualmente abundantes. Na Ilha de Santana, as femeas foram significativamente maiores que os machos, enquanto em Mazagao Velho os tamanhos foram semelhantes entre os sexos. As equacoes de regressao aplicada aos dados demonstram alometria positiva em todas as relacoes, com r² mais de 0,94 em ambos os sexos e locais. Palavras-chave: Relacoes morfometricas, razao sexual, matapi.

Ichthyofauna of the river Halda, Chittagong, Bangladesh

Eighty-three species of finfish belonging to 13 Orders, 35 Families, and 69 genera including three exotic species, and 10 species of shellfish (crustaceans) under one order, 3 families and 3 genera were identified from the River Halda during September 2004 to December 2011. Thus a total of 93 species of Ichthyofauna (finfish and shellfish) were recorded from this river during the seven years (2004-2011) of investigation. Maximum number of finfish species were recorded under the family Cyprinidae (19 species) followed by the family Gobiidae (11 species), whereas maximum number of shellfish species were recorded under the family Palaemonidae (8 species) followed by Penaeidae (1 species) and Portunidae (1 species). Of the 83 finfish species, three belonged to the critically endangered, nine to the endangered and eight to the vulnerable category according IUCN (2000). Four species of finfish were new records from inland waters of Bangladesh. A systematic list of the ichthyofauna with local and English names, and habitat preference are provided.Bangladesh J. Zool. 41(2): 113-133, 2013

The complete mitogenome of the rock pool prawn Palaemon serenus (Heller, 1862) (Crustacea: Decapoda: Palaemonidae)

The mitochondrial genome of the rock pool prawn (Palaemon serenus), is sequenced, making it the third for genera of the family Palaemonidae and the first for the genus Palaemon. The mitogenome is 15,967 base pairs in length and comprises 13 protein-coding genes, 2 ribosomal subunit genes, 22 transfer RNAs and a non-coding AT-rich region. The P. serenus mitogenome has an AT bias of 58.97% and a base composition of 29.79% for T, 24.14% for C, 29.18% for A, and 16.89% for G. The mitogenome gene order of P. serenus is identical to Exopalaemon carinicauda.

Palaemonidae, Euryrhynchidae, and Sergestidae (Crustacea: Decapoda): records of native species from the states of Amapá and Pará, Brazil, with maps of geographic distribution

A list of the distribution records for 18 species of freshwater shrimps of the families Euryrhynchidae (3 spp.), Palaemonidae (13 spp.) and Sergestidae (2 spp.) from the states of Amapá and Pará are presented. All records are documented by voucher specimens deposited in the three main carcinological collections from northern Brazil: Instituto de Pesquisas Científicas e Tecnológicas do Amapá (Macapá), Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia (Manaus), and Museu Paraense Emílio Goeldi (Belém). Maps of the geographic distribution of these records in the eastern Amazon region are offered, and comments on the zoogeography of the species are made.

Histology of the androgenic gland and expression of the insulin-like androgenic gland hormone precursor gene in the genital organ of Pacific white shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei

The location of the androgenic gland in the genital organ in male Pacific white shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei (Boone, 1931) was analyzed by histology and expression of the insulin-like androgenic gland hormone precursor gene (Lv-IAG). The androgenic gland in L. vannamei is a group of three conspicuous semicircular cellular masses interconnected by cord-like androgenic gland cells, in parallel and attached to the distal vas deferens and terminal ampoule, which form a hook-like morphology. Lv-IAG expression occurs mainly at the terminal ampoule, but also at the distal part of the descending medium vas deferens and the narrow distal vas deferens. These specific regions of Lv-IAG expression basically match the anatomical localization of the androgenic gland observed by histology. The complete cDNA nucleotide sequence of Lv-IAG precursor had 87% to Fenneropenaeus chinensis (Osbeck, 1765), 84% identity to Penaeus monodon Fabricius, 1798 (Pm-IAG), and 82% to Marsupenaeus japonicus (Bate, 1888) (Maj-IAG). The deduced encoding sequence from an open reading frame of 507 bp contained a signal peptide, a B chain, a C peptide, and an A chain that correspond to the androgenic gland insulin-like hormone polypeptide in decapods, where six highly conserved cysteine residues of the A and B chains fold the mature peptide through disulfide bridges. The amino-acid sequence showed high identity to P. monodon (80%), F. chinensis (80%), and M. japonicus (72%), whereas the match to other decapod families Palaemonidae, Parastacidae, and Portunidae was low (24-32%). This study extends our knowledge of the molecular structure of insulin-like peptides related to sex differentiation in malacostraca.

Effects of removal from the mother and salinity on embryonic development of Palaemonetes argentinus (Decapoda: Caridea: Palaemonidae)

Fil: Giovagnoli, Agustina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Tecnicas. Centro Cientifico Tecnologico Conicet - Mar del Plata. Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas y Costeras. Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata. Facultad de Ciencia Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas y Costeras; Argentina

ON THE OCCURRENCE OF TENACIGOBIUS YONGEI (DAVIS & COHEN) IN THE GULF OF ELAT (RED SEA) (PISCES: GOBIIDAE)

The goby Tenacigobius yongei (Davis & Cohen, 1968) has been described from Borneo and Hawai. It lives on the antipatharian sea whip Cirhipathes sp., sharing this ecological niche with the palaemonid shrimp Pontonides unciger (Calman) (Davis & Cohen, 1968). Although the sea whip and associated shrimp have been known from the Red Sea for many years, this goby has surprisingly not been recorded from the Red Sea or the Western Indian Ocean. This small goby has probably been overlooked by scientists, as have many other common gobies recently discovered(Goren, 1983), due to its small size. During a redent study of the taxonomy and ecology of gobies living in association with sessile invertebrates, carried out in the northern Red Sea, specimens of T. yongei were collected and identified, and the species is reported here as being a new record for the Red Sea

Decapod crustaceans on dead coral from reef areas on the coast of Bahia, Brazil

The decapod crustaceans inhabiting dead portions of the fire-coral Millepora alcicornis Linnaeus, 1758 and coral rubble were surveyed in six reef areas on the coast of the state of Bahia, Brazil, in 2011. A total of 453 specimens belonging to 39 species in the infraorders Stenopodidea (family Spongicolidae), Caridea (families Palaemonidae, Alpheidae, Hippolytidae, and Processidae), Axiidea (family Callianassidae), Gebiidea (family Upogebiidae), Anomura (family Porcellanidae), and Brachyura (families Majidae, Pilumnidae, Domeciidae, Panopeidae, and Grapsidae) were collected. Members of the families Alpheidae and Porcellanidae were prominent, with 14 and 9 species, respectively. Of the species collected, the alpheid shrimp Alpheus peasei (Armstrong, 1940) is recorded for the first time in the southwestern Atlantic. Microprosthema semilaeve (von Martens, 1872), Corallianassa hartmeyeri Schmitt, 1935, and Petrolisthes marginatu Stimpson, 1859 also had their known geographic ranges extended along the western Atlantic. Alpheus nuttingi (Schmitt, 1924), Synalpheus scaphoceris Coutière, 1910, and Pachycheles riisei (Stimpson, 1858) are new records for Bahia.

Decapod Crustacea of the Californian and Oregonian Zoogeographic Provinces

Approximately 325 species of decapod crustaceans are reported from the Californian and Oregonian zoogeographicprovinces, a figure that includes all freshwater, estuarine, and marine (intertidal zone to 4000 m) decapods from the area.At least six of these species have not been reported from California since 1921, three species cannot be recognized fromtheir descriptions and lack type material and illustrations and another five species may have ben reported from mistakenlocalities or are the result of misidentification.The area is mostly inhabited by cold-temperate species. Genera endemic to the northeastern Pacific include theanomurans Janetogalathea (Galatheidae), Acantholithodes, Phyllolithodes, and Rhinolithodes (Lithodidae); and thebrachyurans Mimulus (Epialtidae), Loxorhynchus, and Scyra (Pisidae). Families that are particularly diverse in speciesinclude carideans of the families Thoridae, Pandalidae, and Crangonidae; anomurans of the families Hapalogasteridae,Lithodidae, and Paguridae and brachyurans of the families Epialtidae, Cancridae, and Pinnotheridae. Crayfishes of thegenus Pacifastacus (Astacidae) were endemic to the area prior to human introductions elsewhere. At least three estuarineand two freshwater decapods belonging to the families Palaemonidae, Cambaridae, Panopeidae and Varunidae have beenintroduced into the area and maintain reproducing populations.Keys are provided to all the families, genera, and species treated. A major synonymy, short description, andinformation on habitat, biogeography, type locality, and color in life are provided for each species. References areprovided to the original descriptions of all taxa mentioned. Additional remarks on taxonomy, symbiotic associations,characteristic behavior, and other information that may help in identification also are given.New generic designations for Hippolyte affinis Owen, 1839 and H. layi Owen, 1839 (Thoridae) are supported.Expanded diagnoses are given for Heptacarpus franciscanus (Schmitt, 1921) (Thoridae), Isocheles pilosus (Holmes, 1900), and Paguristes parvus Holmes, 1900 (Diogenidae).

Coralliocaris junckeri, a new pontoniine shrimp species (Crustacea: Decapoda: Palaemonidae) from Futuna Island, Central Pacific

A new pontoniine shrimp species, family Palaemonidae, genus Coralliocaris Stimpson, 1860, C. junckeri sp. nov., is de-scribed based on an ovigerous female specimen from Futuna Island, Futuna Reef in the central Pacific. The new speciescan be distinguished from its congeneric counterparts by its second pereopod chelae, the fingers of the first pereopods, the unarmed rostrum and the colour pattern.

Molecular phylogeny of the genera Palaemon and Palaemonetes (Decapoda, Caridea, Palaemonidae) from a European perspective

A molecular phylogenetic study by Murphy & Austin (2003) showed that Australian representatives of three shrimp genera of the family Palaemonidae (Palaemon, Palaemonetes, and Macrobrachium) do not cluster according to their generic classification. According to their results, the monophyly of these genera is questioned and the generic classification of the subfamily Palaemoninae is at stake. A large number of representatives of Palaemon and Palaemonetes inhabit European waters, including the type species of each genus. To clarify the phylogeny of these species, and thus the position of the generic names Palaemon and Palaemonetes on a phylogenetic tree, we obtained DNA sequences of the same genetic markers (16S mtDNA) as used by Murphy & Austin (2003) and re-addressed the question of taxonomy and phylogeny of these two genera within the subfamily Palaemoninae. Our results confirm the paraphyly of Palaemon and Palaemonetes. In contrast, the resulting monophyletic clades reflect the geographic distribution of the species according to their respective continents: Africa-Europe, Asia, Australia, and America. With the exception of Palaemon elegans the Afro-European species cluster in a way that would support monophyly of the two genera, if representatives from other continents are excluded. Possible taxonomic solutions are discussed.

Comparative Biology of the Prawns Macrobrachium macrobrachion (Herklots) and Macrobrachium vollenhovenii (Herklots) From Two Interconnecting Fresh/Brackish Water Lagoons in South-West Nigeria

The prawns, Macrobrachium species belonging to the family Palaemonidae are decapod crustaceans of high economic importance world-wide and have been subjected to intense aquacultural practices especially in Asia and the Americas. Macrobrachium rosenbergii is one of the best farmed species in this family. FAO (Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations) gave details of its identification, profile, production, statistics, status and trends. Global production of M. rosenbergii has increased to over 200,000 tonnes/yr by 2002. Macrobrachium species occur commonly in the West African region and constitute an important part of the artisanal fishery. Two species of these prawns Macrobrachium macrobrachion and M. vollenhovenii are important food items and are good items for exports when fully recruited for aquaculture.

Mangrove use by the invasive lionfish Pterois volitans

Lionfish Pterois volitans are successful invasive predators in the sub-tropical and tropi- cal Western Atlantic. Their invasion of coral reef ecosystems is a major conservation concern, as pre- vious studies in the Western Atlantic have found that this top predator (1) occurs at higher densities and forages more successfully than in its native range, (2) lacks significant predators as an adult, and (3) reduces reef fish recruitment. The effects of lionfish on coral reef communities have been exam- ined, but it is not known if these predators use critical non-reef habitat such as mangroves, which serve as nurseries for many reef fish species. To investigate lionfish usage of non-reef critical habitat, we compared population size-structure and stomach contents of P. volitans in mangroves and coral reefs on the island of San Salvador, Bahamas. In each habitat, >80% of lionfish stomachs contained prey items with similar gut content wet weight (0.98 ± 0.35 g in reef habitat and 0.99 ± 0.43 g in man- grove habitat) despite differences in total lionfish length (231.1 ± 10.30 mm in reef habitat and 176.3 ± 16.83 mm in mangrove habitat). Prey items detected by genetic analysis included individuals of the families Palaemonidae, Penaeidae, Gobidae, Scaridae, Mullidae and Grammatidae. These results demonstrate that lionfish colonize and feed in mangrove habitat in the Bahamas. Further study of lionfish outside reef habitat is required to understand the effects of this marine invasion.