The lagoons of atolls shelter
commercial species which are not directly associated with the reefs. Among these species, four families
are worth mentioning: the caranguidae, the lethrinidae, the mullidae and
the lutjanidae.
Caranguidae
The
caranguidae are fish which can reach relatively significant sizes (Caranx ignobilis can exceed
1m). They are generally gregarious.
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They are pelagic, but
especially feed on the reefs. Their preys are generaly small fish and
sometimes shellfish and worms. Most of the caranguidae have a fast growth and a rather high
mortality. They seem rather resistant to the exploitation,
even if some species
like Caranx melampygus
are particularly required.
Caranx
melampygus
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In
the same family as the caranguidae it can be mentioned the "chinchards" and the
"atule" which are small pelagic fish feeding on plankton. As
they have fast growth,
early and significant reproduction, they are able
to support significant fishing pressure.
Lethrinidae
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The
"becs"
and bossus"
live on the
soft bottoms near the reefs. Only
a few species are strictly associated with the
reefs (Lethrinus xanthocheilus, L.erythracanthus,
Gnathodentex aurolineatus).
Lethrinus
xanthocheilus |
These fish all
are carnivorous of big size. Most
of them live in small groups, but great
concentrations are observed sometimes in the passes or near
the pinnacles. These
fish never form a very significant biomass, but they have an
economic importance
in the large atolls.
Mullidae
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The
"barbillons" are fish which live on the bottoms that they prospect thanks to sensory filaments located under their
lower jaw. These
species all are carnivorous and generaly they live in small
groups. The majority
are of small size, but some species like Parupeneus
barberinus, P.cyclostomus, can reach
more than one kilo. Their
preys are especially invertebrates, but some species are also
piscivorous.
Parupeneus
pleurostigma |
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Les
Lutjanidae
The
lutjanidae are a group of fish which colonize at the same time the reefs and
adjacent soft bottoms. The majority have a
nocturnal activity, but they do not hide
during the day. Some species (Lutjanus kasmira, L.gibbus, L.fulviflamma)
form significant shoals near or on the reefs.
All the lutjanidae are carnivorous, some like L.bohar and Aprion virescens
eating significant
quantities of small fish.
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Most
of the lutjanidae
are toxic. Some of
these species live in deep waters, on the external slopes of the atolls.
These last
are very much required but their density is in general very low.
As their growth is slow
and their recruitment is weak, they are very sensitive to fishing.
Lutjanus
bohar
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