Abalistes

Abstract: The following members of the genus Hypocreadium are described or redescribed: Hypocreadium cavum from the starry triggerfish, Abalistes stellatus, Swain Reefs, Great Barrier Reef; Hypocreadium patellare ‘Typical form’ from Abalistes stellatus, Swain Reefs, the masked triggerfish, Sufflamen fraenatum, Ningaloo, Western Australia and off New Caledonia and the titan triggerfish, Balistoides viridescens, off Lizard Island, Great Barrier Reef; Hypocreadium patellare ‘Atypical form A’ from the black-bar triggerfish, Rhinecanthus aculeatus, off Lizard Island and Palau and blackbelly triggerfish, R. verrucosus, off Palau; Hypocreadium patellare ‘Atypical form B’ from the yellow-spotted triggerfish, Pseudobalistes fuscus off Lizard Island; Hypocreadium picasso n. sp. from Rhinecanthus aculeatus, off Lizard Island and Palau, characterised by its broadly pyriform shape and lack of an anterior notch. A key to the species of Hypocreadium is presented. The similarity of the genus Lutianotrema to Hypocreadium is pointed out, but both known species of Lutianotrema are described with ‘dorsal’ oral suckers.

Abstract: Synthesis of chitosan from the scales of starry trigger fish has been carried out in three stages: deproteination using 10% NaOH solution, demineralization using 0.63 M HCl solution, and deacetylation using NaOH solution with three different concentration of NaOH, those were 60%, 50%, and 40% NaOH. Characterization of synthesized chitosan showed that the best chitosan was obtained by deacetylation process with 60% NaOH. The degree of deacetylation obtained 74% has met the DD standard of at least 70% chitosan. Ash level 88.05%; 6% water content; 2.29% protein content. keywords: Chitosan, Starry Trigger fish, Deacetylation degree.

Abstract: Caracteristiques morphometriques et meristiques d'un mâle baliste Abalistes filamentosus Matsuura & Yoshino, 2004, precedemment connu de profondeurs allant de 61 a 180 m des iles Ryukyu, dans la mer de Timor et au large de l'Australie occidentale, et mentionne en Nouvelle-Caledonie par un specimen de 350 mm LS, peche a la ligne dans le lagon a une profondeur de 20 m.

Abstract: Visual censuses were used to survey shallow-water assemblages of the Lutjanidae and Lethrinidae among three mid-continental shelf reefs, and fish traps were used to survey deeper water assemblages below diveable depths. Significant differences were found in visual censuses of the Lutjanidae and Lethrinidae among reefs. Trap catches of the Lutjanidae and Lethrinidae varied more between depths and diel sampling periods than among reefs or over time. Lutjanus carponotatus, L. fulviflamma and Lethrinus miniatus were more abundant in shallow trap sets, whereas Lutjanus adetii, L. russelli, L. sebae, L. vitta, Gymnocranius audleyi, Lethrinus sp.2 and Abalistes stellaris were more abundant in deeper sets. Additionally, Lutjanus adetii, L. fulviflamma, L. quinquelineatus, L. russelli, L. sebae, L. vitta and Lethrinus miniatus were more abundant at night, whereas Lethrinus sp. 2, Abalistes stellarisand Plectropomus leopardus were more abundant during the day. The absence of significant temporal variation in the observed spatial patterns both among reefs and between depths indicates that these patterns may persist through time. The use of both visual censuses and fish traps to assess reef fish assemblages may provide an objective way of repeatedly censusing reefs for monitoring purposes, especially where differences among reefs and regions are important.