Aquarium Trade Threat to Pterapogon kaudneri, the Bangaii

38 Pages·2008·2.51 MB·English

Aquarium Trade Threat
to
Pterapogon kaudneri,
the Bangaii cardinalfish
By Eric Borneman on behalf of
Eric Borneman, Alex Vagelli, Frank Marini,
Andrew Bruckner, and MASNA
History
Allen GR (2000) Env Biol Fish 57:142
- First discovered in 1920, described in 1933 (Koumans 1933)
- Forgotten until 1991
-“Rediscovered” in 1994-1995 (Allen and Steene 1995)
- Proposed for IUCN red listing as threatened species in 1999, 2002
Range
32 of 57 islands in the Bangaii
Archipelago
Total area of 5500km2
Potential habitat: 34km2
Vagelli AA and Erdmann MV (2002) First comprehensive ecological survey of the Banggai cardinalfish,
Pterapogon kauderni Env Biol Fish 63: 1-8
Estimated population
-No historical data – estimate 0.6
ind/m2
-Based on collection, retrofits to
historical population of 20 million
- first estimate in 2001
-6 years after collection began
- 2.2 - 2.4 million fish (2007)
- Density 0.08 ind/m2
CITES, COP 14 2007) from Vagelli AA (2005) PhD dissertation
Natural Habitat and Behavior
Associated with benthic invertebrates
May share habitat with other species
(corals, urchins, seagrass, anemones)
Usually in bays, <4.5m depth
Associate in groups of 2-500 individuals
- average size 9.5-21 individuals
Very site attached
Associates with damselfish, clownfish,
and wrasses
Carnivorous planktivore
Lifespan 1-3 years in wild
Vagelli and Erdmann (2002)
Reproductive Issues
Endemic
Low to no dispersal or gene flow
Low fecundity (average 40-50 egg clutch size)
Direct development with long parental care, male mouthbrooding
Highly genetically isolated – two main groups (southwestern and the rest)
- severe population bottlenecks, geographic isolation
- genetic isolation in as little as 2km (same island, different reef)
- largest natural spread of populations: 16km
- Allee effects present
Vagelli AA and Volpedo AV (2004) Reproductive ecology of Pterapogon kauderni, an endemic apogonid from Indonesia
with direct development Env Biol Fish 70: 235-245
Vagelli A (1999) The reproductive biology and early ontogeny of the mouthbrooding Banggai cardinalfish, Pterapogon
kauderni (Perciformes, Apogonidae) Env Biol Fish 56 79-92
Aquarium Collection Issues
Trade began in 1992 (local) and 1995 (international)*1
2.4 million total population
- 0.63m2 in non-collected area (pearl farm) 900% higher
- poaching now occurring and density declining (0.63-0.47 ind/m2)
- 0.08/m2 in collected areas
- 0.03 increased to 0.06 at one site where collection banned for three years
2 extinctions have occurred (perhaps more)*2
Introduced populations expanding
Late 1990s to 2001 – 600,000 – 700,000 collected each year
2001-2004 700,000 – 900,000 collected each year
2004 – present exceeds 900,000 (>30% of population)
CITES, COP14 (2007), Vagelli pers. comm.
Aquarium Collection Issues
- subject to nematodes, digenetic trematodes, isopods, iridovirus
- impacting survival of collected individuals in past five years
- 60 fishermen, 3 operations*
- CPUE declined 25-80% (1000 fish/hr to 25-330 fish/hr)
- mortality 25-30% post collection
- 15% rejection rates
- 15% mortality post export
- Population decline estimated at 89% (greater than CITES II requirements)
- Population size distributions changed (fewer adults)
- Extinction likely within 10 years, genetic lines lost
CITES COP 14 (2007), Vagelli pers. comm.
Collection Locations
Lunn KE and Moreau M-A (2004) Unmonitored trade in marine ornamental fishes: the case of Indonesia’s
Banggai cardinalfish (Pterapogon kauderni) Coral Reefs 23: 344-351