Skip to main content
Log in

Deep-sea fishes from Senghor Seamount and the adjacent abyssal plain (Eastern Central Atlantic)

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Marine Biodiversity Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Senghor Seamount is an important fishing ground around the Cape Verde archipelago in the Eastern Central Atlantic. On an experimental field survey in October 2009 and December 2011, a total of 115 deep-sea fishes of 26 species belonging to 18 families were caught on the seamount summit, along the slopes and on the adjacent abyssal plane, using longlines, fish traps, beam trawl and otter trawl. Here we report seven new records for the Cape Verde deep-sea fish fauna. Most species are known from other areas of the Atlantic Ocean, but our findings are an important contribution to our understanding of the distribution of deep-water fish species. The co-occurrence of northern and southern Atlantic ichthyofauna components at Senghor Seamount, and the Cape Verde area in general, can be attributed to the large-scale hydrographic regime with two water masses merging at the Cape Verde Frontal Zone, the North Atlantic Central Water and the South Atlantic Central Water.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Abecasis D, Cardigos F, Almada F, Gonçalves JMS (2009) New records on the ichthyofauna of the Gorringe seamount (Northeastern Atlantic). Mar. Biol Res 5:605–611. doi:10.1080/17451000902729696

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Almeida AJ, Biscoito M, Santana JI, González JA (2010) New records of grey cutthroat, Synaphobranchus affinis (Actinopterygii: Anguilliformes: Synaphobranchidae) from the eastern-central Atlantic Ocean. Acta Ichthyol Piscat 40:66–70

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Benchimol C, Francour P, Lesourd M (2009) The preservation of marine biodiversity in West Africa, the Case of Cape Verde Islands: proposal of a new biodiversity policy management. In: 1st Cape Verde Congress of Regional Development, Praia, Santiago Island, Cape Verde. APDR, pp 297—318

  • Brito A, Falcón JM, Herrera R (2006) Características geográficas de la ictiofauna litoral de las islas de Cabo Verde y comparación con los archipiélagos macaronésicos. Rev Acad Canaria Cienc 18:93–109

    Google Scholar 

  • Carlsson J, Shephard S, Coughlan J, Trueman CN, Rogan E, Cross TF (2011) Fine-scale population structure in a deep-sea teleost (orange roughy, Hoplostethus atlanticus). Deep-Sea Res I 58:627–636. doi:10.1016/j.dsr.2011.03.009

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Chivers AJ, Narayanaswamy BE, Lamont PA, Dale A, Turnewitsch R (2013) Changes in polychaete standing stock and diversity on the northern side of Senghor Seamount (NE Atlantic). Biogeosciences 10:3535–3546

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Christiansen B, Martin B (2000) Deep-sea benthopelagic nekton observations at two stations in the northern Arabian Sea: links to organic matter supply? Deep-Sea Res II 47:3027–3038

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Christiansen B, Martin B, Hirch S (2009) The benthopelagic fish fauna of Seine Seamount, NE Atlantic: composition, population structure and diets. Deep-Sea Res II 56:2705–2712. doi:10.1016/j.dsr2.2008.12.032

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Christiansen B, Brand T, Büntzow M et al (2011) Structure and function of Seamount ecosystems in the Cape Verde Region, Northeast Atlantic – Cruise No. M79/3 – September 24 – October 23, 2009 – Las Palmas (Spain) – Mindelo (Cape Verde). METEOR-Berichte, M79/3. DFG-Senatskommission für Ozeanographie, Bremen. doi:10.2312/cr_m79_3

  • Christiansen B, Vieira RP, Christiansen S, Denda A, Oliveira F, Gonçalves JMS (2014) The fish fauna of Ampère Seamount (NE Atlantic) and the adjacent abyssal plain. Helgoland Mar Res 69:13–23. doi:10.1007/s10152-014-0413-4

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Christiansen B, Türkay M, Emeis K-C (2015) Biology and biogeochemistry of the Eastern Mediterranean Sea – Cruise No. M71 – December 11, 2006 – February 4, 2007 – Heraklion (Greece) – Istanbul (Turkey). METEOR-Berichte, M71. DFG-Senatskommission für Ozeanographie, Bremen. doi:10.2312/cr_m71

  • Cohen DM, Inada T, Iwamoto T, Scialabba N (1990) FAO Species Catalogue. Vol. 10. Gadiform fishes of the world (Order Gadiformes). An annotated and illustrated catalogue of cods, hakes, grenadiers and other gadiform fishes known to date. FAO Fish Synop 125:442

    Google Scholar 

  • Colloca F, Carpentieri P, Balestri E, Ardizzone G (2010) Food resource partitioning in a Mediterranean demersal fish assemblage: the effect of body size and niche width. Mar Biol 157:565–574

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • D’Oliveira Fonseca B (2000) Expansion of pelagic fishereies in Cape Verde. A feasibility study. The United Nations University - Fisheries Training Programme, Reykjavik

  • Denda A, Christiansen B (2014) Zooplankton distribution patterns at two seamounts in the subtropical and tropical NE Atlantic. Mar Ecol 35:159–179. doi:10.1111/maec.12065

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ehrich S (1977) Die Fischfauna der Großen Meteorbank. Meteor Forschungsergeb Reihe D 25:1–23

    Google Scholar 

  • Franca MLP, Vasconcelos MS (1962) Peixes do Arquipélago de Cabo Verde. Notas Mimeog Centro Biol Piscat 28:1–86

    Google Scholar 

  • Franco MAL, Braga AC, Nunan GWA, Costa PAS (2009) Fishes of the family Ipnopidae (Teleostei: Aulopiformes) collected on the Brazilian continental slope between 11° and 23° S. J Fish Biol 75:797–815. doi:10.1111/j.1095-8649.2009.02324.x

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Freitas R (2014) The coastal ichthyofauna of the Cape Verde Islands: a summary and remarks on endemism. Zool Caboverdiana 5:1–13

    Google Scholar 

  • Froese R, Pauly D (2016) FishBase. World Wide Web electronic publication. Version (03/2016)

  • González JA, Tariche O, Santana JI, García-Mederos AM, Tuset VM, Jimenez S, Biscoito M (2010) The family Moridae (Gadiformes) from the Cape Verde Islands (eastern central Atlantic Ocean), with first record of Physiculus cyanostrophus. Cybium 34:217–221

    Google Scholar 

  • González JA, Martins A, Santana JI et al (2014) New and rare records of teleost fishes from the Cape Verde Islands (eastern-central Atlantic Ocean). Cybium 38:289–300

    Google Scholar 

  • Gordon JDM, Duncan JAR (1987) Deep-Sea bottom-living fishes at two repeat stations at 2200 m and 2900 m in the Rockall Trough, northeastern Atlantic Ocean. Mar Biol 96:309–325

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gordon DM, Merrett NR, Bergstad OA, Swan SC (1996) A comparison of the deep-water demersal fish assemblages of the Rockall Trough and Porcupine Seabight, eastern North Atlantic: continental slope to rise. J Fish Biol 49 (Suppl. A):217—238

  • Haedrich RL, Merrett NR (1988) Summary atlas of deep-living demersal fishes in the North Atlantic Basin. J Nat Hist 22:1325–1362

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hanel R, John H-C (2015) A revised checklist of Cape Verde Islands sea fishes. J Appl Ichthyol 31:135–169. doi:10.1111/jai.12621

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hanel R, John H-C, Meyer-Klaeden O, Piatkowski U (2010) Larval fish abundance, composition and distribution at Senghor Seamount (Cape Verde Islands). J Plankton Res 32:1541–1556. doi:10.1093/plankt/fbq076

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Henriques C, Priede IG, Bagley PM (2002) Baited camera observations of deep-sea demersal fishes of the northeast Atlantic Ocean at 15–28°N off West Africa. Mar Biol 141:307–314

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Iglésias SP (2013) Actinopterygians from the North-eastern Atlantic and the Mediterranean (A natural classification based on collection specimens, with DNA barcodes and standardized photographs), Vol. I (plates), version 09, 01 April 2013

  • Kukuev EI, Parin NV, Trunov IA (2012) Materials for the revision of the family Caristiidae (Perciformes). 2. Manefishes from the East Atlantic (redescription of Platyberyx opalescens Zugmayer and description of two new species Platyberyx mauli sp. n. and Caristius andriashevi sp. n.). J Ichthyol 52:185–199

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lathuilière C, Echevin V, Lévy M (2008) Seasonal and intraseasonal surface chlorophyll-a variability along the northwest African coast. J Geophys Res 113:C05007. doi:10.1029/2007jc004433

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lázaro C, Fernandes MJ, Santos AMP, Oliveira P (2005) Seasonal and interannual variability of surface circulation in the Cape Verde region from 8 years of merged T/P and ERS-2 altimeter data. Remote Sens Environ 98:45–62. doi:10.1016/j.rse.2005.06.005

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lloris D, Rucabado J, Figueroa H (1991) Biogeography of the Macaronesian ichthyofauna (The Azores, Madeira, The Canary Islands, Cape Verde and the African enclave). Bol Mus Mun Funchal 43:191–241

    Google Scholar 

  • MAAP/GEP (2004) Plano de Gestão dos Recursos da Pesca. MAAP/GEP, Praia

    Google Scholar 

  • Magnússon J, Magnússon JVV (1985) Survey of demersal fish resources in the waters off Cape Verde Islands. II Report: the survey in May/June 1984. ICEIDA/Cape Verde Islands Fisheries Project. Icelandic International Development Agency, Reykjavík

    Google Scholar 

  • Magnússon J, Magnússon JVV (1987) Survey of demersal fish resources in the waters off Cape Verde Islands. III Report: the survey in June/July 1985. ICEIDA/Cape Verde Islands Fisheries Project. Icelandic International Development Agency, Reykjavík

    Google Scholar 

  • Marshall NB, Staiger JC (1975) Aspects of the structure, relationships and biology of the deep-sea fish Ipnops murrayi (Family Bathypteroidae). B Mar Sci 25:101–111

    Google Scholar 

  • Martin B, Christiansen B (1997) Diets and standing stocks of benthopelagic fishes at two bathymetrically different midoceanic localities in the northeast Atlantic. Deep-Sea Res I 44:541–558

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mason E, Colas F, Molemaker J, Shchepetkin AF, Troupin C, McWilliams JC, Sangrà P (2011) Seasonal variability of the Canary Current: a numerical study. J Geophys Res 116. doi:10.1029/2010JC006665

  • Menezes GM, Tariche O, Pinho MR, Duarte PN, Fernandes A, Aboim MA (2004) Annotated list of fishes caught by the R/V Arquipélago off the Cape Verde archipelago. Arquipel Life Mar Sci 21A:57–71

    Google Scholar 

  • Menezes GM, Rosa A, Melo O, Pinho MR (2009) Demersal fish assemblages off the Seine and Sedlo Seamounts (Northeast Atlantic). Deep-Sea Res II 56:2683–2704. doi:10.1016/j.dsr2.2008.12.028

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Menezes GM, Rosa A, Melo O, Porteiro F (2012) Annotated list of demersal fishes occurring at Sedlo Seamount, Azores north-east central Atlantic Ocean. J Fish Biol 81:1003–1018. doi:10.1111/j.1095-8649.2012.03355.x

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Merrett NR (1987) A zone of faunal change in assemblages of abyssal Demersal fish in the Eastern North Atlantic: a response to seasonality in production? Biol Oceanogr 5:137–151

    Google Scholar 

  • Merrett NR (1992) Demersal ichthyofaunal distribution in the abyssal eastern North Atlantic, with special reference to Coryphaenoides (Nematonurus) armatus (Macrouridae). J Mar Biol Assoc UK 72:5–24

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Merrett NR, Fasham MJR (1998) Demersal ichthyofaunal distribution in the abyssal North Atlantic revisited: the effect of sample size on ordination. Mar Ecol Prog Ser 173:267–274

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Merrett NR, Marshall NB (1981) Observations on the ecology of deep-sea bottom-living fishes collected off northwest Africa (08°–27°N). Prog Oceanogr 9:185–244

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Merrett NR, Haedrich RL, Gordon JDM, Stehmann M (1991) Deep demersal fish assemblage structure in the Porcupine Seabight (eastern North Atlantic): results of single warp trawling at lower slope to abyssal soundings. J Mar Biol Assoc UK 71:359–373

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mittelstaedt E (1991) The ocean boundary along the northwest African coast: circulation and oceanographic properties at the sea surface. Prog Oceanogr 26:307–355

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Monteiro P, Ribeiro D, Silva JA, Bispo J, Gonçalves JMS (2008) Ichthyofauna assemblages from two unexplored Atlantic seamounts: Northwest Bank and João Valente Bank (Cape Verde archipelago). Sci Mar 72:133–143

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Morales-Nin B, Maynou F, Sardà et al (2003) Size influence in zonation patterns in fishes and crustaceans from deep-water communities of the western Mediterranean. J Northw Atl Fish Sci 31:413–430

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nakamura I, Parin NV (1993) FAO Species Catalogue. Vol. 15. Snake mackerels and cutlassfishes of the world (families Gempylidae and Trichiuridae). An annotated and illustrated catalogue of the snake mackerels, snoeks, escolars, gemfishes, sackfishes, domine, oilfish, cutlassfishes, scabbardfishes, hairtails, and frostfishes known to date. FAO Fish Synop 125:136

    Google Scholar 

  • Nielsen JG (1966) Synopsis of the Ipnopidae (Pisces, Iniomi) with descriptions of two new abyssal species. In: Wolff T (ed) Galathea 2 Report, vol 08. The Galathea Committee, Copenhagen, pp 49–76

    Google Scholar 

  • Nielsen JG (1969) Systematics and biology of the Aphyonidae (Pisces, Ophidioidea). In: Wolff T (ed) Galathea 2 Report, vol 10. The Galathea Committee, Copenhagen, pp 7–90

    Google Scholar 

  • Nielsen JG (1990) Ophidiidae. In: Quero JC, Hureau JC, Karrer C, Post A, Saldanha L (eds) Check-list of the fishes of the eastern tropical Atlantic (CLOFETA), vol 2. JNICT, Lisbon, pp 564–573

    Google Scholar 

  • Nielsen JG, Merrett NR (2000) Revision of the cosmopolitan deep-sea genus Bassozetus (Pisces : Ophidiidae) with two new species. In: Wolff T (ed) Galathea 2 Report, vol 18. The Galathea Committee, Copenhagen, pp 7–56

    Google Scholar 

  • Nielsen JG, Cohen DM, Markle DF, Robins CR (1999) FAO Species Catalogue. Vol. 18. Ophidiiform fishes of the world (Order Ophidiiformes). An annotated and illustrated catalogue of pearlfishes, cusk-eels, brotulas and other ophidiiform fishes known to date. FAO Fish Synop 125:178

    Google Scholar 

  • Pakhorukov NP (2008) Visual observations of fish from seamounts of the Southern Azores region (the Atlantic Ocean). J Ichthyol 48:114–123. doi:10.1134/S0032945208010104

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Paxton JR (1999) Berycidae. Alfonsinos. In: Carpenter KE, Niem VH (eds) FAO species identification guide for fishery purposes. The living marine resources of the WCP. Vol. 4. Bony fishes part 2 (Mugilidae to Carangidae). FAO, Rome, pp 2218–2220

    Google Scholar 

  • Pérez-Rodríguez P, Pelegrí JL, Marrero-Díaz A (2001) Dynamical characteristics of the Cape Verde frontal zone. Sci Mar 65:241–250

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pierre C, Vangriesheim A, Laube-Lenfant E (1994) Variability of water masses and of organic production regeneration systems as related to eutrophic, mesotrophic and oligotrophic conditions in the northeast Atlantic ocean. J Mar Syst 5:159–170

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Reiner F (1996) Catálogo dos peixes do arquipélago de Cabo Verde. Publicações Avulsas do IPIMAR, Lisboa

    Google Scholar 

  • Reiner F (2005) Peixes do Arquipélago de Cabo Verde. Instituto Nacional de Desenvolvimento das Pescas, Mindelo

    Google Scholar 

  • Santos RS, Porteiro FM, Barreiros JP (1997) Marine fishes of the azores. Annotated checklist and bibliography. A catalogue of the Azorean marine ichthyodiversity. Arquipel Life Mar Sci Suppl 1:1–242

    Google Scholar 

  • Shank TM (2010) Seamounts: deep-ocean laboratories of faunal connectivity, evolution, and endemism. Oceanography 23:108–122

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shcherbachev YN, Kukuev EI, Shlibanov VI (1985) Composition of the benthic and demersal ichthyocenoses of the submarine mountains in the southern part of the North Atlantic range. J Ichthyol 25:110–125

    Google Scholar 

  • Stein DL (1985) Towing large nets by single warp at abyssal depths: methods and biological results. Deep-Sea Res 32:183–200

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stevenson DE, Kenaley CP (2011) Revision of the manefish genus Paracaristius (Teleostei: Percomorpha: Caristiidae), with descriptions of a new genus and three new species. Copeia 2011:385–399. doi:10.1643/ci-10-129

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stocks KI, Clark MR, Rowden AA, Consalvey M, Schlacher TA (2012) CenSeam, an international program on seamounts within the Census of Marine Life: achievements and lessons learned. PLoS One 7:e32031. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0032031

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Strømme T, Sundby S, Sætersdal G (1982) A survey of the fish resources in the coastal waters of the Republic of Cape Verde, November 1981. Institute of Marine Research, Bergen

    Google Scholar 

  • Sulak KJ (1977) Aldrovandia oleosa, a new species of the Halosauridae, with observations on several other species of the family. Copeia 1977:11–20

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Thorsteisson V, Montero VMS, Almada EO (1995) Ground fish survey in the waters off Cape Verde 1994. Icelandic International Development Agency, Reykjavík

    Google Scholar 

  • Tomczak MJ (1981) An analysis of mixing in the frontal zone of South and North Atlantic Central Water off North-West Africa. Prog Oceanogr 10:173–192

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Trunov IA, Kukuev EI, Parin NV (2006) Materials for the revision of the family Caristiidae (Perciformes): 1. Description of Paracaristius heemstrai gen. et sp. nov. J Ichthyol 46:441–446

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Vakily JM, Camara SB, Mendy AN et al (2002) Poissons marins de la sous-région nord-ouest africaine. EUR 20379 FR. Commission Européenne, Bruxelles

    Google Scholar 

  • Varela AI, Ritchie PA, Smith PJ (2013) Global genetic population structure in the commercially exploited deep-sea teleost orange roughy (Hoplostethus atlanticus) based on microsatellite DNA analyses. Fish Res 140:83–90

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Vieira RP, Thiel R, Christiansen B, Coelho R, Denda A, Gonçalves J (2013) The deep-sea fish Kali macrodon (Norman, 1929), a new record for the tropical eastern Atlantic off Cape Verde. Mar Biodivers Rec 6:1–3. doi:10.1017/S1755267212001248

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wessel P, Sandwell DT, Kim S-S (2010) The global seamount census. Oceanography 23:24–33

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • White TA, Stefanni S, Stamford J, Hoelzel AR (2009) Unexpected panmixia in a long-lived, deep-sea fish with well-defined spawning habitat and relatively low fecundity. Mol Ecol 18:2563–2573

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Whitehead PJP, Bauchot M-L, Hureau J-C, Nielsen J, Tortonese E (eds) (1984–1986) Fishes of the North-eastern Atlantic and the Mediterranean. Vols. 1–3. UNESCO Press, Paris

  • Wirtz P et al (2013) The coastal fishes of the Cape Verde Islands – new records and an annotated check-list (Pisces). Spixiana 36:113–142

    Google Scholar 

  • Zenk W, Klein B, Schröder M (1991) Cape Verde frontal zone. Deep-Sea Res 38:S505–S530

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank the crew of the RV Meteor and RV Poseidon for their professional support on the cruises, and Ralf Thiel (Zoological Museum, Universität Hamburg) for his valuable advice. An anonymous reviewer made important comments, which helped to improve the manuscript considerably.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Rui P. Vieira.

Ethics declarations

Financial support

Rui Pedro Vieira received financial support from CCMAR and funds from DAAD - Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst (German Academic Exchange Service) for a short-term scholarship at the IHF – Universität Hamburg (Germany). Rui Pedro Vieira is currently supported by a Portuguese doctoral grant (FCT/SFRH/BD/84030/2012) and partially by European Funds through COMPETE and by National Funds through the Portuguese Science Foundation (FCT) within project PEst-C/MAR/LA0017/2013. Rui Coelho is supported by an Investigador-FCT contract from the Portuguese Science Foundation (FCT, Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia) supported by the EU European Social Fund and the Programa Operacional Potencial Humano (Ref: IF/00253/2014). The Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) provided the ship time and financial support for the Meteor cruise M79/3, and the Universität Hamburg for the Poseidon cruise P423.

Additional information

Communicated by R. Thiel

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Vieira, R.P., Coelho, R., Denda, A. et al. Deep-sea fishes from Senghor Seamount and the adjacent abyssal plain (Eastern Central Atlantic). Mar Biodiv 48, 963–975 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12526-016-0548-4

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12526-016-0548-4

Keywords

Navigation