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Temporal variability of settlement in Carapidae larvae at Rangiroa atoll

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Abstract

Carapidae (or pearlfish) are eel-like fishes living inside different invertebrates, such as holothurians, sea stars or bivalves. In some Polynesian areas where they live in sympatry, several species (Carapus homei, Carapus mourlani, Carapus boraborensis and Encheliophis gracilis) are able to inhabit the same host species. The heterospecific infestation rate is very rare, suggesting that the four species can compete for their hosts. Some differences in settlement period, breeding period and in pelagic larval duration (PLD) could allow better characterisation of the life history of each species. More than 700 larvae were collected during an entire year on the Rangiroa atoll (French Polynesia). Each species was identified; their settlement pattern was examined and their PLD was deduced from otolith (sagittae) increments. In the four collected species, the settlement pattern differed: C. homei and C. mourlani settle on the reef during the entire year, and show an asynchronous and diffuse breeding cycle. C. boraborensis and E. gracilis have a shorter settlement period which could be compatible with breeding synchronisation. As most reef fishes, Carapidae larvae mainly settle during moonless nights. Moreover, each species presents some plasticity, allowing it to settle on the reef under suitable conditions.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank all members of the Tropical Fish Tahiti team for helping to collect fish larvae. This study was supported by grant C-05/77 from “Fonds spéciaux, Université de Liège.”

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratoire de Morphologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive, Institut de chimie, Bât. B6, Université de Liège, 4000, Liege, Belgium

    Colleye Orphal, Vandewalle Pierre & Parmentier Eric

  2. Tropical Fish Tahiti, 42303 98713, Papeete, Tahiti, French Polynesia

    Brié Christophe & Malpot Emmanuel

  3. Ecole Pratique des Hautes Etudes, Laboratoire Ecosystèmes Aquatiques Tropicaux et Méditerranéens, UMR-CNRS 8046, 66860, Perpignan Cedex, France

    Malpot Emmanuel

  4. Centre de Recherches Insulaires et Observatoire de l’Environnement (CRIOBE), 98728, Moorea-Maiao, French Polynesia

    Parmentier Eric

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  1. Colleye Orphal
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  2. Brié Christophe
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  3. Malpot Emmanuel
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  4. Vandewalle Pierre
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Correspondence to Colleye Orphal.

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Orphal, C., Christophe, B., Emmanuel, M. et al. Temporal variability of settlement in Carapidae larvae at Rangiroa atoll. Environ Biol Fish 81, 277–285 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10641-007-9199-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10641-007-9199-4

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