Abstract
A new species of deep-reef fish in the goby genus Palatogobius is described from recent submersible collections off Curaçao and Dominica. Video footage of schools of this species reveal predation by the invasive Indo-Pacific lionfish (Pterois spp.), the first record of undescribed fauna potentially being eaten by lionfish outside of its native range. We present molecular phylogenetic data for all valid species of Palatogobius and related genera, as well as a taxonomic key to the species of Palatogobius and a generic key to Palatogobius and related genera in the western Atlantic. Lastly, we discuss ecological and behavioral aspects of some deep-reef fishes in light of potential threats from invasive lionfish.
MeSH terms
-
Animals
-
Biodiversity
-
Coral Reefs
-
Dominica
-
Ecosystem
-
Fishes / classification*
-
Introduced Species
-
Perciformes / classification*
-
Phylogeny
-
Population Dynamics
-
Predatory Behavior / physiology
Grants and funding
The project was funded in part by the Smithsonian Peter Buck Fellowship to LT. Funding for the Smithsonian Institution’s Deep Reef Observation Project was provided internally by the Consor¬tium for Understanding and Sustaining a Biodiverse Planet to CCB, the Competitive Grants for the Promotion of Science program to CCB, the Herbert R. and Evelyn Axelrod Endowment Fund for systematic ichthyology to CCB, the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History Research Programs Fund, and externally by the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation. The funders had no rule in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.