Home range, space use, and vertical distribution of Nassau grouper (Epinephelus striatus) during non-spawning times in Western Puerto Rico

Understanding animal space use patterns is critical for ecological research and conservation efforts. An organism’s home range territory serves as the fundamental unit of space use and is the area repeatedly used for routine activities. Nassau grouper, Epinephelus striatus, once of high commercial fishery importance, are now on the IUCN’s Red List designated as Critically Endangered due to overexploitation. Known for the formation of large spawning aggregations, information on their movements and space use dynamics outside of the reproductive period are lacking. In this study, we used acoustic telemetry to quantify the non-spawning horizontal and vertical space use patterns of Nassau grouper at the Bajo de Sico seamount, a seasonally closed marine protected area (MPA) in Puerto Rico. Twenty-nine groupers were tagged with acoustic transmitters, of which, fourteen were tracked continuously over a three-year period. Tagged individuals displayed high site fidelity to home reef locations and individuals occupied home ranges of relatively small size that remained constant between years. There was a high degree of overlap of home range territories and in locations where multiple individuals occupied the same home reef, individuals maintained discrete vertical distributions. Nassau groupers were recorded making multiple forays to the spawning site outside of the reported spawning season, and two individuals underwent home reef site relocation. Results indicate relatively low contribution to ecological connectivity during the non-reproductive period, therefore high relative abundances of this species are needed to fulfill their ecological role at the community level. The results also highlight the importance of Bajo de Sico, an isolated seamount of relatively deeper depth, as critical habitat for primary home reef sites of Nassau grouper. These results provide a basis for adapting the current management strategy at this MPA to provide adequate protection to the non-spawning population of Nassau grouper

Additions to Philippine Slender Skinks of the <i>Brachymeles bonitae </i>Complex (Reptilia: Squamata: Scincidae) III:a new species from Tablas Island

Davis, Drew R., Geheber, Aaron D., Watters, Jessa L., Penrod, Michelle L., Feller, Kathryn D., Ashford, Alissa, Kouri, Josh, Nguyen, Daniel, Shauberger, Kathryn, Sheatsley, Kyra, Winfrey, Claire, Wong, Rachel, Sanguila, Marites B., Brown, Rafe M., Siler, Cameron D. (2016): Additions to Philippine Slender Skinks of the Brachymeles bonitae Complex (Reptilia: Squamata: Scincidae) III: a new species from Tablas Island. Zootaxa 4132 (1), DOI: http://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4132.1.

Additions to Philippine Slender Skinks of the <i>Brachymeles bonitae </i>Complex (Reptilia: Squamata: Scincidae) I:a new species from Lubang Island

Geheber, Aaron D., Davis, Drew R., Watters, Jessa L., Penrod, Michelle L., Feller, Kathryn D., Davey, Conner S., Ellsworth, Elyse D., Flanagan, Rachel L., Heitz, Brendan B., Moore, Tana, Nguyen, Marie D. C., Roberts, Austyn, Sutton, John, Sanguila, Marites B., Linkem, Charles W., Brown, Rafe M., Siler, Cameron D. (2016): Additions to Philippine Slender Skinks of the Brachymeles bonitae Complex (Reptilia: Squamata: Scincidae) I: a new species from Lubang Island. Zootaxa 4132 (1): 1-14, DOI: http://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4132.1.

ON THE CORRESPONDENCE BETWEEN PREFERENCE ASSESSMENT OUTCOMES AND PROGRESSIVE-RATIO SCHEDULE ASSESSMENTS OF STIMULUS VALUE

The current study examined whether stimuli of different preference levels would be associated with different amounts of work maintained by the stimuli, as determined through progressive-ratio schedule break points. Using a paired-choice preference assessment, stimuli were classified as high, moderate, or low preference for 4 individuals with developmental disabilities. The stimuli were then tested three times each using a progressive-ratio schedule (step size of 1; the break-point criterion was 1 min). In 10 of 12 possible comparisons, higher preference stimuli produced larger break points than did lower preference stimuli

FIGURE 3 in Additions to Philippine Slender Skinks of the Brachymeles bonitae Complex (Reptilia: Squamata: Scincidae) III: a new species from Tablas Island

FIGURE 3. Photograph of lateral and ventral views of head of preserved holotype of Brachymeles dalawangdaliri sp. nov. (CAS 137149). Photographs taken by JLW and MLP.Published as part of Davis, Drew R., Geheber, Aaron D., Watters, Jessa L., Penrod, Michelle L., Feller, Kathryn D., Ashford, Alissa, Kouri, Josh, Nguyen, Daniel, Shauberger, Kathryn, Sheatsley, Kyra, Winfrey, Claire, Wong, Rachel, Sanguila, Marites B., Brown, Rafe M. & Siler, Cameron D., 2016, Zootaxa 4132 (1), DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4132.1.3, http://zenodo.org/record/25893

FIGURE 2 in Additions to Philippine Slender Skinks of the Brachymeles bonitae Complex (Reptilia: Squamata: Scincidae) II: a new species from the northern Philippines

FIGURE 2. Illustration of head of Brachymeles ilocandia sp. nov. (PNM 9819, holotype) in dorsal, lateral, and ventral views. Taxonomically diagnostic head scales are labeled as follows: C, chin shield; F, frontal; FN, frontonasal; FP, frontoparietal; IL, infralabial; IP, interparietal; L, loreal; M, mental; N, nasal; Nu, nuchal; P, parietal; PF, prefrontal; PM, postmental; PO, preocular; PSO, presubocular; R, rostral; SC, supraciliary; SL, supralabial; SN, supranasal; and SO, supraocular. Roman numerals indicate scales in the supraocular series, with Arabic numbers indicating scales in the supraciliary series. Illustrations by MLP and CDS.Published as part of Siler, Cameron D., Davis, Drew R., Freitas, Elyse S., Huron, Nicholas A., Geheber, Aaron D., Watters, Jessa L., Penrod, Michelle L., Papeș, Monica, Amrein, Andrew, Anwar, Alyssa, Cooper, Dontae, Hein, Tucker, Manning, Annalisa, Patel, Neeral, Pinaroc, Lauren, Diesmos, Arvin C., Diesmos, Mae L., Oliveros, Carl H. & Brown, Rafe M., 2016, Additions to Philippine Slender Skinks of the Brachymeles bonitae Complex (Reptilia: Squamata: Scincidae) II: a new species from the northern Philippines, pp. 15-29 in Zootaxa 4132 (1) on page 20, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4132.1.2, http://zenodo.org/record/26674

Amphibians of the Philippines, Part I: Checklist of the Species

Volume: 62Start Page: 457End Page: 53