Humann, Paul H.

McCosker, John E.

English

Aquatic Commons

18 NOTICIAS DE GALAPAGOS No.56
NEW RECORDS OF GALAPAGOS FISHES
By: John E. McCosker and Paul H. Humann
INTRODUCTION
The shorefishes of the Galápagos Islands have received
considerable attention in recent years with the advent of
modern scuba diving and improvements in underwater
photography. Since 7977,Hurnann has made more than
1,400 dives throughout the archipelago and, inpreparation
for the publication of his Galápagos Reef Fish Identification
Guide (Humann 7993), discovered that many of his
subjects were previously unknown, unreported and, in
severalcases, new to science. McCoskerhasmade several
trips to Galápagos and has also discovered new species
and new records of fishes otherwise known from
elsewhere in the eastern Pacific or from the Indo-Pacific.
The most recent estimates of the Galápagos
ichthyofauna indicated approximately 325 shorefish
species distributed among 92 famllies (McCosker and
Rosenblatt 1984; McCosker 7987; and subsequent new
records and species descriptions). As well, the recent El
Niño events that have occurred in the eastern Pacific have
added additional examples of Indo-Pacific fishes to the
Galápagos (Grove 1985); however it is unlikely that many
of them will establish reproducing populations. We add
the following 13 new records of species previously
u¡known from Galápagos. Species common to the eastem
Pacific mainland include: Triqkis maculatn (Spotted
Houndshark) ; Elop s ffinis (Ten Poun ders) ; Ur aspis hela ola(Cotton Mouth jacks); Haemtùott sexfasciøtwn (Graybar
Grunt); Hemilutjønus macrophthalmus (Ojo de Uaa); and
Kathetostomø au erruncus (Smooth Sta r gazer). New records
of species common to the Indo-Pacific include:
Gymnothorøx melengris (\ÂIhitemouth Moray); F orcipiger
fløuissinttts (Long-nosed Butterfly Fish); Thaløssoma
purpLlreum (Surge Wrasse); Nqso brersirosfrls (Spotted
Unicornfish); N. olamingll (Bignose Unicornfish); and
Cyclichthys spilostylus (Yellow-spotted Burrfish).
Guentherus altiaelø,aIso anew record, is fromthe southeast
Atlantic and the eastern Pacific.
A,CCOUNTS
Fømily Triakidøe
Triakis mauLlntn Kner and Steindachner 7866
An adult female Spotted Houndshark, = 770 cm TL,
was capturedwithhoókand line above a 6-8 mbottomby
McCosker on 25 ]uly 1980 at Punta Espinosa, Isla
Fernandina. It was photographed (Figure 1) and
examined, then released alive. Its identification was
verified by from the photograph and description (personal
communication, L. J. V. Compa&no). Triokis møuúnta
ranges from Peru to northern Chile, includes Mustelus
nigromøculafr¿s Evermann and Radcliffe (1917) in its
synonymy, and may rcach240 cm (Compagno 1984).
Family Murøenidøe
Gymnothorax meleagris Shaw and Nodder 1795
An adult specimen of the Whitemouth Moray,
Gymnothorøx meleagris, was seen and photographed in
March 7989,by Humann (7993,p.77fl off Cousins Rock,
Isla Santiago, over a boulder strewn bottom at
approximately 15 m depth. This species is unmistakable
in appearance, and this individual represents the first
example reported from the eastern Pacific Ocean. It is
commoninshallowtropicalwaters fromFlawaüwestward
to the coast of Africa (Gosline and Brock 1960; Castle and
McCosker 7986). Previously reported records of G.
Figure L. Adult female Triakis maculafa (Spotted Houndshark), = 170 cm total length, captured above a 6-8 m bottom at Punta
Espinosa, Isla Fernandina,25 July 1980.
March 1996 NOTICIAS DE GALAPAGOS 79
melengris from the Red Sea are based on mis-identified
specimens of G. buroensls (Randall and Golani 1995).
McCosker and Rosenblatt (1975) reviewed the morays
of the Galápagos and reported upon 16 species, four of
which are also widely distributed in the Indo-Pacific.
McCosker et al. (1984) subsequentlyrecognized the eastern
Pacific l)ropterygius necturus (jordan and Gilbert) to be a
junior synonym of U. macrocephølus (Bleeker). Bussing
(L991) described McCosker and Rosenblatt' s " Uroptery gius
sp." as LL aersutus. The presence of G. meleagris in
Galápagos brings the number of muraenids common to
the eastern Pacific and Indo-Pacific to 11 (see Rosenblatt
et al. 1972; McCosker and Rosenblat|. 1975), including:
Echidna nebulos a, Enchely cor e lichenosø, Enchely nassa c anin a,
Gy mno thor nx bur o ensis, G. fI aa im ar ginøtu s, G. m eleagr is, G.
undul øtus, Gy mnomur aenø zebr n, S cut ic ør iø t igr in n, S i d er e n
pict n, and Ur optery gius mncr o cephalus.
Fømily Elopidøe
Elops ffinis Regan 1909
Also known as Ten Pounders, Lady Fish, or Chiro,
Møchete are found in shallow inshore areas between Peru
and southern California. We report them from Galápagos
on the basis of our sightings and photographs (Humann
1993,p.51) off Roca Redonda at 3-5 mbeneath the surface,
above aboulderbottom at 15 m depth. We presume them
tobeE. ffinis, the only species known to inhabit the eastern
tropical Pacific (\Mhitehead 1962).
Fømily Cmøngidøe
Urøspis heluola Forster, 1801
We occasionally observed, and photographed
(Humann 1993,p. 39),large schools of CottonmouthJacks
off Darwin, Wolf, and Roca Redonda. We now cautiously
identify this species as U. helaola, rather than U. secundq
(Poey, 1860), until a generic revision is completed (pers.
comm. W. F. Smith-Vaniz). In the eastern Pacific, it is also
found from southern California to Costa Rica, typically
near offshore islands.
Fømily Høemulidøe.
Haemulon sexfasciøtum Gill 1862
We observed and photographed (Humann1993,p. 57)
schools of adult Graybar Grunt at several Galápagos
locations between 7-15 m depth, including the channel
between Baltra and North Seymour, the north shore of
Española off Isla Gardner, Corona del Diablo off Isla
Floreana, and Cabo Marshall, Isla Isabela. It is
unmistakable in coloration and is one of the commoner
nearshore grunts living between the Gulf of California
and Panama.
Fømily ln Question
Hemilutj anus macr ophthalmus T schudi 1 845
Humann regularly observed and photographed
(Humann 1993, p.65) groups of O jo de Uaqbelow 30 m at
PuntaVicente Roca. McCosker observed threeindividuals
at35 malong thenorthentrance to Tagus Cove,Islalsabela.
They were = 25 cm in length and hovered about 1 m above
the rocky bottom. Ojo de Uaa have previously been
reported from the coasts of Perú and Chile where it is
captured by fishermen using handlines over rockybottoms
(Hildebrand L946). The familial relationships of
Hemilutjønus are poorly understood, however recent
studies (]ohnson 1984) have determined that although it
looks much like a snapper, it does not belong within the
Lutjanidae.
Eømily Chøetodontidøe
Forcipiger flaaissimus Jordan and McGregor 1898
Humann photographed (Humann 7993, p. 29) adults
of the Long-nosed Butterfly fish on numerous occasions
at Isla Darwin (May 1 99 1, Novemb er 1992, Apríl and May
1993) and once at Wolf (M ay 7993). In each case they were
swimming over rocky, boulder strewn bottoms between
8-10 m. Forcipiger flaoissimus is widely reported from
throughout the Pacific and Indian oceans (Burgess 1978).
In the eastern Pacific, it is also known from Easter Island,
the Revillagigedo Islands, Clipperton Island, and Cabo
San Lucas.
Fømily Løbridøe
Thalnssomn purpureum (Forrsk=E5l 1775)
Humann observed numerous individuals of the Surge
Wrasse (Figure 2) at IsIa Darwin during May and
November 7994. They were appropriately swimming
within the surge zone at about 3-4 m depth. This species
is widespread in the Indo-Pacific and known from the
Red Sea to the Hawaiian, Marquesan, and Easter islands,
north to southern Japan and throughout Micronesia
(Myers 1 989). Randall (1 995, p. 67 5) reported its occurrence
at Clipperton Island.
Fømily Ateleopodidøe
Guentherus altiaeln Osorio 1917
A postlarval specimen of Guentherus øItioela was
collected by Andre De Roy on 12 ]une 1978 using a benthic
shell dredge in 200 m, south of Isla Santa Cruz. The
damaged and poorly preserved specimen (Figure 3, CAS
47 468)has tlrre following counts and measurements (mm) :
standard length 109; head length27; snoutlength 6.5; upper
20 NOTICIAS DE GALAPAGOS No.56
Figure Z. Adult Thalassoma purpLLreLLm
graphed by Humann at 1-4 m depth in
Darwin 1n1994.
jaw length 13.5; eye diameter 5.3; preanal length 44; tail
length 65; dorsal fin rays 72; anal fin rays 75; caudal fin
rays 11; pectoral fin rays 14; pelvic fin rays71, the last two
joined at their base; upper gill rakers 5; lower gill rakers
18. The specimen is too poorly ossified to allow a vertebral
count to be made and fins were too damaged to allow
accurate length measurements. The coloration of this
nearly gelatinous specimen is similar to that of the 104.5
mm postlarva illustrated in Bussing and Lopez (7977),
and possesses ten black smudged bands over a cream
colored body, black fin edging, and spots (about equal to
the eye in size) on the head.
Guentherus altiuelq is known from 360-700 m depth off
southwest Africa to the Cape of Good Hope, and from
Panama and Costa Rica in the eastern Pacific, between
220-302rndepth (Bussing and Lopez 7977). Their eastern
Pacific specimens did not differ significantly from the
Galápagos specimen in either counts or measurements.
Fømily Acønthuridøe
N aso breairosfrls Valencierures 1835
McCoskerwas advisedbyTuiDe Royin 1984 that she
had seen a "unicom-snouted" surgeonfish off Islas Darwin
and Wolf. Subsequent observations and photographs
confirmed the presence of the Spotted Unicornfish by
Humann along the northern edge of Isla Darwin in 10 m
in November 7993, suggesting to us that De Roy had also
seen ÀJ. breairostris. The Spotted Unicornfish is easily
recognized on the basis of its head profile (Figure 4) and
coloration, and is well-known from the Red Sea to the
Flawaiian, Marquesan, and Ducie islands, north to
southern ]apan, south to Lord Flowe Island, and
throughout Micronesia (Myers 1989). This represents the
first record of its existence within the eastern Pacific.
Naso ulaminsll Valenciennes 1835
We observed and photographed Bignose Unicronfish
on separate occasions at the south side of Isla Darwin
above 12 m depth in November 7993, and at 18 m off the
north end of Isla Wolf in M ay 7994. The absence of a nasal
horn, the elongate caudal filaments, and the blue bar
beneath the eye identify this species (Figure 5). This
represents the first eastern Pacific record for this species;
in the Indo-Pacific it is know.n from East Africa to the Line,
Marquesan, and Tuamoto islands, north to southemJapan,
south to the southern Great Barrier Reef and New
Caledonia, and throughout Micronesia (Myers 1989).
(Surge Wrasse) photo-
the surge zone off Isla
Figure 3. Postlarval specimen of Guenthertrc nltiaela (CAS 47468) collected by Andre De Roy in 200 m, south of Isla Santa Cruz.
March 1996 NOTICIAS DE GALAPAGOS 27
Figure 4. Adult N¿rs o breuirostris (Spotted Unicornfish), photo-
graphed by Humann at 10 m at Isla Darwin, November 1993.
Fømily Urønoscopidøe
Kathetostoma ûaerruncus Jordan and Bollman 1890
AI17 mm (standard length) Smooth Stargazer (CAS
47 47 0) w as captured using a "coffee can dredge" byAndre
De Roy in the Galápagos, location unidentified.
Kathetostomø aaerruncus was described from specimens
collected off Colombia and includes K . ornatusW ade Q9a6)
from the San Benito Islands, Baja California, in its
synonymy. The Smooth Stargazer inhabits sand bottoms
over a wide range of depth (13-384 m) and is recorded
from central California to Peru (Eschmeyer and Herald
1e83).
Fømily Diodontidøe
Cyclichthys spilostylus Leis and Randall 1982
An adult Yellow-spotted Burrfish was first seen and
photographed in March,7978 (Humann7993, page 151),
hidingbeneatha ledge at 15 m atTagus Cove, Isla Isabela.
Flumann observed a second specimen in November ,7994,
at 20 m depth off Punta Vicente Roca, Isla Isabela.
Described as Chilomycterus spilostylus, t}:iis burrfish has
been subsequently referred to Cyclichthys and is known
fromthe Red Sea, SouthAfrica to the South China Sea, the
Philippines, Japan, and Australia (Leis 1986, Matsuura et
aL.7993).
Figure 5. Adult Naso alamingll (Bignose Unicronfish), photo-
graphed by Humann at 18 m at the north end of Isla Wolf, May
1994.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Robert j. Lavenberg andJackGrove of theLos Angeles
County Museum of Natural History are preparing a
volume about the fishes of Galápagos, and they, along
with Richard H. Rosenblatt of the Scripps Institution of
Oceanographyand JohnE. Randall of the Bernice P. Bishop
Museum, have kindly assisted us with the information
that we report herein. We also thank Tui De Roy who
provided advice as well as the specimens that her father
had collected. Permission to collect and observe fishes at
Galápagos was kindly made possible by a permit from
Arturo Izurieta and Felipe Cruz of the Servicio Parque
Nacional Galápagos and Byron Moya Reyes, Director
General de Pesca. Logistical support was provided by Dr.
Chantal Blanton, Laura Chellis, and Alfredo Carrasco of
the Charles Darwin Foundation for the Galápagos Islands.
We thank Eduardo and Dolores Diez of Quasar Nautica,
for generously providing the use of their vessel Mistral.
Specimens reported on are kept in the Ichthyological
collections of the California Academy of Sciences (CAS),
San Francisco, California, USA.
LITERATURE CITED
Bussing, W. A. 1991. A new species of eastern Pacific moray eel
(Pisces: Muraenidae). Revista Biologia Tropical 39(1): 97-
102.
Bussing, W. A. and M. I. Lop ez. 1977 . Gt Lentherus altiaela Osorío,
the first ateleopodid fish reported from the eastern Pacific
Ocean. Revista Biolo gia Tropical 25 (2) : 17 9 -790.
Castle, P. H. l. and J. E. McCosker. 1986. Family No. 41:
Muraenidae. Pp.1,65-176inSmith's Sea Fishes, ed. by M. M.
Smith and P. C. Heemstra. Macmillan South Africa,
Johannesburg.
22 NOTICIAS DE GALAPAGOS No.56
Compagno, L. I. V. 1984. Sharks of the World. Part 2 -
Carcharhiniformes. FAO Fisheries Synopsis no. 725, 4(2):
251-655.
Evermann, B. W. and L. Radcliffe. 1977. Tlne fishes of the west
coast of Peru and the Titicaca Basin. Bulletin U. S. National
Museum 95:I-766.
Grove, i. 1985. Influence of the1982-7983 El Niño event upon
the ichthyofauna of the Galápagos Archipelago. Pp.191-198
in El Niño en las Islas Galápagos: el evento de 1982-1983.
Fundación Charles Darwin para las Islas Galápagos, Quito.
Hildebrand, S .F. 1946. A descriptive catalog of the shore fishes
of Peru. Bull. U. S. Natl. Mus. 189: 1-530.
FIumann, P. 1993. Reef fish identification. Galápagos. Ed. by
N. Deloach. New World Pub., jacksonville, Florida, and
LibriMundi, Quito Ecuador. 192pp.
Johnsor¡ G. D. 1984. Percoidei: development and relationships.
Pp. 464-498 in Special Publication No. 1 of the American
Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists.
Leis, j. M. 1986. Family No. 269: Diodontidae. Pp.903-907 n
Smiths' Sea Fishes, ed. by M. M. Smith and P. C. Fleemstra.
Macmillan South Africa, johannesburg.
Matsuura, K., K. Sakai and T. Yoshino. 1993. Records of two
diodontid fi she s, Cy clichthy s o rbiculør is andC. spilo stylus, fr ornjapan. Japanese Journal of Ichthyology a0(3): 372-376.
McCosker, I. E. 1987. The fishes of the Galápagos Islands.
Oceanus 30(2):28-32.
McCosker, I. E., K.Hatooka, K. Sasaki, and ]. T. Moyer. 1984.japanese moray eels of the genus Uropterygius. japanese
|ournal of Ichthyology 31(3): 261-267.
McCosker, J. E. and R. H. Rosenblatt. 1975. The moray eels
(Pisces: Muraenidae) of the Galápagos Islands, with new
records and synonymies of extralimital species. Proceedings
of the California Academy of Sciences 40(13): 417-427.
McCosker, |. E. and R. H. RosenblatT.. 7984. The inshore fish
fauna of the Galápagos Islands. Pp. 133-144 in Key
Environments, Galápagos, ed. by R. Perry. Pergammon
Press, Oxford.
Myers, R. F. 1989. Micronesian Reef Fishes. Coral Graphics,
Guam. 298pp.
Randall, |. E. 1995. On the validity of the eastern Pacific labrid
fishes Thalassomø grammaticum Gllbeft and T. oir ens Gilbet.
Bulletin of Marine Science 56(2): 670-675.
Randall, J. E. and D. Golani. 1995. Areview of the moray eels(Anguilliformes: Muraenidae) of the Red Sea. Bulletin of
Marine Science 56(3): 849-880.
Rosenblatt, R.H., I.E. McCosker and I. Rubinoff. 1972. Indo-
West Pacific fishes from the Gulf of Chiriqui, Panama.
Contributions in Science of the Los Angeles County Museum
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Wade, C. B. 1946. New fishes in the collections of the Allan
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John E. McCosker, CaliforniaAcademyof Sciences/ San
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MOLECULAR GENETICS AND CONSERVATION IN THE
GALAPAGOS
By: Kornelia Rassmann
INTRODUCTION
For more than a century Galápagos has served evolu-
tionarybiologists as a natural laboratory for their studies.
A major goal has been to describe the unique morpholog-
ical and behavioral adaptations evolved by the diverse
life forms of Galápagos organisms in response to their
forbidding environment and to understand how these
specializations have come about. Because the basic mate-
rial of evolutionary changes are genes, understanding the
genetic mechanisms of these processes has been an im-
portant step. Models derived from theories of population
genetics can illustrate the processes influencing the ge-
netic composition of populations or species, and therefore
constitute an important part of current evolutionary re-
search. These models attempt to describe the current
genetic status of evolutionary systems, e.g. the amount of
genetic variation within or among populations, and esti-
mate the future prospects of populations with regard to
their genetic composition. At the same time, the genes
andthe gene composition of a species orpopulation serve
as a record of the evolutionary events that occurred in its
past and thus provide information on its historical - or
phylogenetic - background.
I¡r a rather sad way, population genetic and phyloge-
netic theory may become increasingly important for the
practical aspects of research in the Galápagos. Over the
past few centuries the populations of several endemic or
native species declined, bringing some of them close to
extinction and extirpating a few. The major reasons for
these declines include predationby feral animals, habitat
destruction and competition for resources by non-indig-
enous plants and animals introduced to the islands by
humans, and human exploitation of indigenous species
andtheirnaturalhabitat (Trillmich 1992). Of course, there
are also non-human-induced causes threatening GaIápa-
gos' fauna and flora. Sudden catastrophic events such as
volcanic eruptions or epidemic diseases may endanger
specific populations. Of more global nature are environ-
mental changes such as the recurrent El Niño events -


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