1. Photo-identification as a simple tool for studying invasive lionfish Pterois volitans populations.
- Author
-
Chaves, L. C. T., Hall, J., Feitosa, J. L. L., and Côté, I. M.
- Subjects
PHOTOGRAPHY of fishes ,PTEROIS volitans ,FISH populations ,INTRODUCED species ,COLOR of fish ,FISH ecology ,FISHES ,RECOLONIZATION of fishes - Abstract
Photo-tagging, i.e. using a specific software to match colour patterns on photographs, was tested as a means to identify individual Indo-Pacific Pterois volitans to assist with population and movement studies of this invasive species. The stripe pattern on the flank of adult P. volitans ( n = 48) was the most individually distinctive of three body regions tested, leading to correct individual identification on 68 and 82% of tests with a single and two images of the reference individual, respectively. Photo-tagging is inexpensive, logistically simple and can involve citizen scientists, making it a viable alternative to traditional tagging to provide information on P. volitans distribution, movement patterns and recolonization rates after removals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2016
- Full Text
- View/download PDF