Ecological Importance of and Ethnobiodiversity of Parrotfishes

The Ecological Importance and
Ethnobiodiversity of Parrotfishes
(Scaridae): A Pacific Island
Perspective
The 11th Pacific Science Inter-Congress
2nd – 8th March, 2009
Papeete, Tahiti
Session: Biogeography
[Ecosystems Session Room 1]
Teddy Fong and R. R. Thaman
School of Geography,
The University of the South Pacific
and
Asakaia Balawa
Waiqanake Village, Vanua Navakavu
Rewa Province, Fiji Islands
Focus
Using parrotfishes (Scaridae) and




Vanua Navakavu, Fiji Islands;
Bellona, Solomon Islands;
Ouvea, New Caledonia; and
Tikehau, French Polynesia
as a case study, we examine the diversity, ecological
niches, conservation status, and the role of parrotfishes
as indicator species of the health of our coral reef and
nearshore marine ecosystems
Ethnobiodiversity – A Definition
The knowledge, uses, beliefs,
management systems,
conservation ethics,
taxonomies (classification
systems) and language that
different cultures (including
modern scientific and
international AID, NGO and
development communities)
have for BIODIVERSITY
The Study Sites – Vanua Navakavu, Fiji
The Study Sites – Bellona, Solomon Islands
Global Parrotfish Distribution
Europe
North
America
Africa
Atlantic
Ocean
Pacific Ocean
Indian
Ocean
Solomons
Australia
NC
Fiji
Tahiti
South
America
New Zealand
Map by FishBase
•~90 species from 9 genera
•~27-28 from 7 or 8 may occur in all study sites except Tahiti
•19 from 6 occurs in Tahiti (Bacchet et al. 2006)
•West to East Indo-Pacific attenuation
Latitudinal Range
Latitudinal Range
Asia
Parrotfishes and Phase Names Known to
Fishers of Vanua Navakau
Species
Bolbometopon muricatum
Calotomas carolinus
Calotomas spinidens
Cetoscarus bicolor
Chlorurus bleekeri
Chlorurus frontalis
Chlorurus japanensis
Chlorurus microrhinos
Chlorurus sordidus
Hipposcarus longiceps
Leptoscarus vaigiensis
Scarus altipinnis
Scarus chameleon
Scarus dimidiatus
Scarus festivus
Scarus flavipectoralis?
Scarus forsteni
Scarus frenatus
Scarus ghobban
Scarus globiceps
Scarus longipinnis
Scarus niger
Scarus oviceps
Scarus psittacus
Scarus rivulatus
Scarus rubroviolaceus
Scarus schlegeli
Scarus spinus
Common Name
Initial Phase
Terminal Phase
bumphead parrotfish
stareye parrotfish
Raggedtooth parrotfish
bicolour parrotfish
Bleeker's parrotfish
reefcrest parrotfish
redtail parrotfish
steephead parrotfish
bullethead parrotfish
longnose parrotfish
slender parrotfish
minifin parrotfish
chameleon parrotfish
yellowbarred parrotfish
festive parrotfish
yellowfin parrotfish
whitespot parrotfish
bridled parrotfish
bluebarred parrotfish
globehead parrotfish
highfin parrotfish
swarthy parrotfish
egghead parrotfish
palenose parrotfish
surf parrotfish
ember parrotfish
Schlegel's parrotfish
greensnout parrotfish
kalia
ilava vucesa
bubute
soqo
bubute
kakarawa
soqo (bubute)
ulurua
bubute
ulavi
bubute?
soqo
bubute
maqwa
bubute
bubute
bubute
soqo
ulavi
bubute
kakarawa
soqo
maqwa
bubute
bubute
bubute, soqo
bubute
bubute
kalia
ilava vucesa
bubute
lawi
kakarawa
kakarawa
kakarawa
ulurua
kakarawa
ulavi
bubute?
lawi
kakarawa
kakarawa
kakarawa
kakarawa
kakarawa
kakarawa
lawi
kakarawa
kakarawa
soqo
kakarawa
kakarawa
kakarawa
kakarawa
kakarawa
kakarawa
Note : S = SPC Muaivuso Data recognizes 21 species
: K = Kulbicki’s data recognized 26 species
: P = We have photographed 24 species
ID
K,P
K
S,K,P
S,K,P
K,P
K,P
S,K,P
S,K,P
S,K,P
K,P
S,K,P
S,K,P
S,K,P
S,K
S,K,P
S,K,P
S,K,P
S,K,P
S,K,P
S,K,P
S,K,P
S,K,P
S,K,P
S,K,P
S,K,P
S,K,P
: Fishermen recognized and had names for 28 species
: There are 8 names that distinguish species by colour,
: behaviour and morphology
Nature of Parrotfishes

Belong to the family, SCARIDAE, which is closely related to the wrasse
family, LABRIDAE.

Well-named based on the fusion of their teeth into parrot-like dental plates
and the bright blue-green and ornate coloration of many species (Randall
2005).

Most species have a number of distinct growth and color phases ranging from
juvenile and sub-adult to the initial adult and terminal male growth phases.
Taxonomic History


Scarids are one of several recently derived
families capable of exploiting reef algae
and small colonial invertebrates
 Acanthuridae, Monacanthidae,
Pomacentridae, Blenniidae, Siganidae
are others
Brucae and Randall (1983 and 1985)
created two subfamilies of parrotfishes:
 Scarinae with 4 genera containing
approximately 67 species, and
 Sparisomatinae with 5 genera and 16
species.
Biology

The modified pharyngeal apparatus is an important adaptation that has allowed parrotfishes to
exploit reef algae and small colonial invertebrates
 Pharyngeal mill reducing ingested material to a fine slurry (sand)

Morphological and meristic characteristics separate species
 most identifications rely on colour patterns
 however, most species have at least 3 distinct patterns throughout life (juvenile, IP, and TP)
 juveniles tend to have a drab mixture of browns, grays and blacks, but as they mature a
distinct coloration emerges with the addition of red tones.
 A third set of colors is donned by males and by females that have recently undergone sex
change into males. As these males mature, they exhibit bright, intricate patterns of reds,
greens, and blues.
 but there are some monochromic species
 fishes that do not exhibit sexual color change
 many species share common colour patterns especially as IPs (concurs with TEK)
 colours also change after death
 accurate identifications for many species is best restricted to the colourful TP stage
Bicolor Parrotfish (Cetoscarus ocellatus)
Terminal
Phase
Male
Initial Phase
Female or
Male
Reproductive Behaviour


Complex socially influenced sexual change (socio-sexual) system
 Most species are protogynous hermaphrodites (individuals
maturing first as females, then sexually transforming into
males)
 This sexual transformation is usually accompanied by a
change in colour phase
Parrotfishes exhibit several types of complex mating systems that
vary more by geographic location than by species
 Reasons range from population density to competition for
spawning sites and other resources to geographic factors like
seasons and water temperature.
Nature of Parrotfishes

There are two main groups of parrotfishes based on their jaw
and tooth structure and their impact on coral reefs:
EXCAVATORS and SCRAPERS.

Some of the larger species feed, in part, on live coral, often
leaving a characteristic mark from their dental plates.
Nature of Parrotfishes (cont.)

The excavators have more powerful jaws and stronger
dental plates and are able to remove part of the
limestone or coral as they feed. They include members
of the monospecific genera, Bolbometopon and
Cetoscarus and members of the newly recognized
genus, Chlorurus.
Excavators (A - Bolbometopon muricatum, B- Cetoscarus
ocellatus, C – Chlorurus bleekeri, D – Chlorurus microrhinus)
A
C
B
D
Nature of Parrotfishes (cont.)

The scrapers have less powerful jaws and ingest less
inorganic material with the surface algae.

Scrapers (A – Hipposcarus longiceps TP, B- Scarus altipinnis TP)
Feeding Habits



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Primarily herbivorous
 Grazing on dead, algae-coated
coral (concurs with TEK)
 And seagrasses (concurs with
TEK)
Bumphead parrotfish is the exception
 Consumes significant amounts of
live coral
Some species, including juveniles and
subadults, feed, in part, on algae
growing on compact sand surfaces,
taking in sand with the algal food
(Randall 2005).
Form large feeding groups, sometimes
with other species (concurs with TEK)
 To overwhelm territorial fishes
and discourage predators
A Keystone Species?

Parrotfishes have a major impact on coral reefs through intensive grazing and associated
bioerosion.

Grazing patterns of large schools of parrotfish prevent algae from choking out corals.

Many parrotfishes feed on calcareous algae (algae that are high in mineral calcium) contributing
significantly to the process of bioerosion and the creation of sediment on reefs.
 A single Bolbometapon muricatum (bump-head parrotfish) consumes approximately one
cubic meter of coral skeletons per year, and turns it into fine sediment. In this way large
schools of bump-head parrotfish determine the fine-scale topography of coral reefs. (Choat
and Bellwood, 1998)

They consume plant material unavailable to most other fishes making them an ecologically
important species

The large amounts of parrotfishes on reefs makes them an important part of the predatory food
chain.

Parrotfishes do not only indicate the health and recovery of fish stocks, but can also be used in
indicating the health of reef trophic structures, coral reef status and lagoon sediment budget.
Threats to Ethno-biodiversity

Whereas modern fishermen and many of today's youth
often generalize and give parrotfishes one name,
traditional fishermen have names for the juv., IP and TP.
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Ouvea has only 3 distinctive names for over 20 species
Bellona has 7 distinctive names for 27 species
Researchers in this field often cover TEK, ethno-biology
and sacred sights but fail to cover traditional taxonomy

Most surveys are not carried out at the same taxonomic level as that
of the traditional fishermen (1000s of years of knowledge).

While recordings of TEK can be used in schools and by
science it still fails to address the loss of it because kids
cannot fathom what’s being taught.

The challenge is to get the good scientists to work with
the “local scientists”.
Bumphead Parrotfish Slaughter!
Nabukalou Creek Fish Market, 17 March 2007
Facilitating Partnerships/Funders
MacArthur Foundation