Full-Sibs in Cohorts of Newly Settled Coral Reef Fishes

<div><p>Reef fishes exhibit a bipartite life cycle where a benthic adult stage is preceded by a pelagic dispersal phase during which larvae are presumed to be mixed and transported by oceanic currents. Genetic analyses based on twelve microsatellite loci of 181 three-spot dascyllus (<em>Dascyllus trimaculatus</em>) that settled concurrently on a small reef in French Polynesia revealed 11 groups of siblings (1 full sibs and 10 half-sibs). This is the first evidence that fish siblings can journey together throughout their entire planktonic dispersal phase (nearly a month long for three-spot dascyllus). Our findings have critical implications for the dynamics and genetic structure of fish populations, as well as for the design of marine protected areas and management of fisheries.</p> </div

Dascyllus trimaculatus siblings.

<p>Labels indicate the location of sampling (IN Channel Row, OUT Crest Row) the anemone number and the individual number (e.g. IN05_01, Channel anemone 5, individual 1). Pairs of numbers indicate the repeat numbers of microsatellite alleles (e.g. 10,10, is a homozygote with 10 repeats for both alleles). The left column indicates the relatedness index (R), the first row indicates the name of the microsatellite loci.</p

Research site located on the northwestern shore of the island of Moorea, French Polynesia (inset).

<p>General water circulation is from the open ocean, over the barrier reef, towards the channel, and then out of the lagoon through the pass (white arrows). We placed 2 rows of 8 anemones (black dots), a Crest Row and a Channel Row. One pair of full sibling fishes was found on Channel Row anemone number 5 (white dot). Two pairs of half siblings were found on adjacent anemones, Channel Row anemones 6 and 7, Crest Row anemones 2 and 3 (yellow dots and yellow arrows). One threesome of half sibs included two individuals in one anemone (channel 5) and one individual on the Crest Row (anemone 5), indicated by yellow and white dots and yellow arrows.</p

<i>Dascyllus trimaculatus</i> microsatellite characteristics based on recruits (N = 181, this study).

<p>Columns correspond to: microsatellite name (Locus), number of alleles (N_a), observed (H_o) and expected (H_e) heterozygosities.</p

Appendix C. Details of statistical tests used to address hypotheses associated with population surveys, the demographic study, and the manipulative experiment; a table of describing all treatment factors used, ANOVAs, and multiple regression; and a table of ANOVA results.

Details of statistical tests used to address hypotheses associated with population surveys, the demographic study, and the manipulative experiment; a table of describing all treatment factors used, ANOVAs, and multiple regression; and a table of ANOVA results

Appendix A. Details of sampling sites, position of sampling sites, description and photo of biozones in Moorea’s lagoon, and details of the biotic and abiotic attributes of coral bommies.

Details of sampling sites, position of sampling sites, description and photo of biozones in Moorea’s lagoon, and details of the biotic and abiotic attributes of coral bommies

Appendix B. Methods used for environmental measurements made during the field experiment and a description of the predator exclusion cages.

Methods used for environmental measurements made during the field experiment and a description of the predator exclusion cages

Appendix D. A table showing the mean percentage of the branching corals Pocillopora verrucosa and Acropora retusa of three size classes found on bommies or the seafloor in the three major lagoon habitats.

A table showing the mean percentage of the branching corals Pocillopora verrucosa and Acropora retusa of three size classes found on bommies or the seafloor in the three major lagoon habitats

Appendix D. Description of corallivorous fish assemblage, patterns of corallivore abundance in the experiment, and figure illustrating spatial variation in corallivore guilds across the sampling sites.

Description of corallivorous fish assemblage, patterns of corallivore abundance in the experiment, and figure illustrating spatial variation in corallivore guilds across the sampling sites

Appendix C. Coral colony size frequency distribution.

Coral colony size frequency distribution