Marine Resources Assessment for the Marianas Operating ... - SPREP

AUGUST 2005 FINAL REPORT
number and highest in total value of all families of aquarium fishes in trade (Pyle 2001a). These
species are not listed on the IUCN Red List of threatened species (IUCN 2004).
Distribution—The angelfish can be found throughout the tropical waters of the Atlantic, Indian, and
Pacific Oceans (Froese and Pauly 2004).
The mango angelfish, Centropyge shepardi, is found only around the Marianas, Bonins, and Palau
(Myers 1999).
The lemonpeel angelfish, C. flavissima, is found in the Indo-Pacific from Cocos-Keeling Atoll in the
west, east to the Line, Marquesan, and Ducie Islands. This species ranges north to the Ryukyus and
south to New Caledonia and Rapa. The lemonpeel angelfish is found throughout Micronesia (Froese
and Pauly 2004).
Habitat Preferences—Angelfish are usually found near coral reefs in shallow-waters less than 20 m
deep (Myers 1999).
The mango angelfish is found on outer reef slopes and occasionally in clear lagoon reefs (Froese and
Pauly 2004). This species prefers areas of mixed living and dead coral with numerous shelter holes
and passages. The mango angelfish can be found in tropical waters from 28°N to 15°N at depths
from 1 to 56 m (Froese and Pauly 2004). In the Marianas, this is the most common species of
angelfish between 18 and 56 m (Myers 1999).
The lemonpeel angelfish is found in coral-rich areas of shallow lagoons and exposed seaward reefs
from the lower surge zone to depths greater than 25 m (Myers 1999). This species can be found in
tropical waters from 35°N to 30°S at depths from 3 to 50 m (Froese and Pauly 2004). In the Marianas,
this is the most common species of angelfish from 0 to 20 m (Myers 1999).
Life History—Angelfish exhibit paired spawning in pelagic waters typically around sunset (Myers
1999; Froese and Pauly 2004).
♦ Cirrhitidae (Hawkfishes)
Status—Two species of aquarium taxa in the family Cirrhitidae are managed in Micronesia as part of
the CHCRT by the WPRFMC (2001) and occur in CNMI and Guam (Amesbury and Myers 2001;
Myers and Donaldson 2003). Both species have EFH designation within the boundaries of the study
area (WPRFMC 2001; NMFS 2004c). In addition, the remaining seven species of hawkfishes found in
the study area have designated EFH under the PHCRT (WPRFMC 2001). Currently, no data are
available to determine if hawkfishes of the CHCRT are approaching an overfished situation (NMFS
2004a). Some hawkfishes are occasionally used as food and are valued aquarium fishes (Randall
2001c). These species are not listed on the IUCN Red List of threatened species (IUCN 2004).
Distribution—Hawkfishes can be found from the tropical western and eastern Atlantic, Indian, and
Pacific Oceans (Froese and Pauly 2004).
The longnose hawkfish, Oxycirrhites typus, can be found from the Red Sea in the west to Panama in
the east. This species ranges from southern Japan and Hawai’i in the north to New Caledonia in the
south and throughout Micronesia (Myers 1999).
The flame hawkfish, Neocirrhites armatus, can be found from Ryukyus in the east to the Line Islands
in the west. This species ranges from the Pitcairn group in the north to the Great Barrier Reef and
Australs in the south. In Micronesia the flame hawkfish can be found in the Carolines, Marianas, and
Wake Islands (Myers 1999).
Habitat Preferences—Hawkfishes are generally found associated with rocks and corals (Randall
2001c).
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