Aspects of Spawning Behaviour in Five Gobiids of the Genus Coryphopterus (Pisces: Gobiidae) in the Caribbean Sea

ABSTRACT

Sand dwelling species of Coryphopterus live in shared habitats and were reported to have a similar ecology. Species lineages within the western Atlantic Coryphopterus have recently been reconciled; fish which according to the common keys had formerly been identified as Coryphopterus glaucofraenum could in fact be C. glaucofraenum, C. tortugae or C. venezuelae and can genetically be clearly separated into different clades. Based on the new taxonomic key, ecological data for five Coryphopterus species are provided; size-sex distribution, number of eggs deposited, inter spawning intervals and courtship behaviour of Coryphopterus dicrus Böhlke and Robins, Coryphopterus eidolon Böhlke and Robins, Coryphopterus thrix Böhlke and Robins, Coryphopterus tortugae Jordan, and Coryphopterus venezuelae Cervigón, were examined in Curacao, Netherland Antilles. For the first time ecological data on C. tortugae and C. venezuelae are provided, which had been previously questioned as distinct species from Coryphopterus glaucofraenum.

In all species males reached a greater total length than females. Clutch sizes varied between 423 – 5872 eggs and interspawning intervals were between 5 – 14 days; no preferences for spawning at a particular lunar phase was found.