Journal of Tropical Oceanography ›› 2021, Vol. 40 ›› Issue (4): 50-62.doi: 10.11978/2020069CSTR: 32234.14.2020069

• Marine Biology • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Biological characteristics of Cephalopholis spiloparaea of reef waters in the South China Sea

HONG Xiaofan1,2(), CHEN Zuozhi2,3(), JIANG Yane2,3, ZHANG Jun2,3, WANG Huanhuan2, LI Yuanjie2, LI Gang1   

  1. 1. College of Marine Sciences, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China
    2. South China Sea Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Key Laboratory of Open-Sea Fishery Development, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Guangzhou 510300, China
    3. Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Guangzhou 511458, China
  • Received:2020-07-06 Revised:2020-08-21 Online:2021-07-10 Published:2020-08-21
  • Contact: CHEN Zuozhi E-mail:jyhdhkhxf114209@gmail.com;zzchen2000@163.com
  • Supported by:
    National Natural Science Foundation of China(31902374);National Key Research and Development Program of China(2018YFC1406502);Key Special Project for Introduced Talents Team of Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou)(GML2019ZD0605);Financial Fund of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs(NFZX2021)

Abstract:

Based on the coral reef fishes of Cephalopholis spiloparaea (Serranidae: Cephalopholis), which were collected from the coral reef waters of the Nansha Islands and Xisha Islands in the South China Sea in September 2018 and May-June 2019, we studied the biological characteristics of C. spiloparaea, including population structure, gonad maturity composition, feeding intensity, fatness index, age, and growth. We compared the geographic variation of the biological characteristics between the two coral reef waters in the South China Sea. The results are as follows. 1) The ranges of the dominant body length were 96~125 mm and 96~115 mm, respectively, in the Nansha reef waters and Xisha reef waters. The distributions of body length and body weight both had significant differences between the two waters (P<0.01). 2) The allometric growth factors (b values) of the body length and body weight relationship from the Nansha reef waters and Xisha reef waters were 2.881 and 2.797, respectively. 3) The result of analysis of otolith samples (May-June 2019) suggests that the age range is 0.58~1.44 a. There were no significant differences in the distribution of age between the two reef waters (P>0.05). 4) The C. spiloparaea in the Nansha reef waters was relatively smaller in size and grew faster than that in the Xisha reef waters. 5) In addition, the gonadal maturation ratio of the Xisha reef waters was higher than that of the Nansha reef waters. 6) The feeding stages of C. spiloparaea from the two reef waters were dominated in Stage 1. Compared with the population of C. spiloparaea in the Xisha reef waters, these results demonstrate that the population in the Nansha reef waters had the characteristics of miniaturization, faster growth rate, and lower hepatopancreas index.

Key words: Cephalopholis spiloparaea, coral reef fish, biology, South China Sea

CLC Number: 

  • P735.13