Sanchez, Phillip

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    High resolution temporal patterns of black grouper, Mycteroperca bonaci, courtship bioacoustics at spawning aggregations in the greater Caribbean
    (2016) Sanchez, Phillip; Appeldoorn, Richard S.; College of Arts and Sciences - Sciences; García, Jorge; Locascio, Jim; Heppell, Scott; Department of Marine Sciences; Alfaro, Monica
    Black grouper, Mycteroperca bonaci, are large protogynous hermaphrodites in the Family Epinephelidae. In the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico and South Florida they form transient seasonal spawning aggregations in the winter and spring, with spawning timing influenced by lunar and diel periodicities. Two small aggregations have recently been identified off the west coast of Puerto Rico, one at Bajo de Sico, an isolated seamount, and a second off the coast of Mona Island. Passive acoustic recorders were set at the two sites and a third at Riley’s Hump in the Dry Tortugas. Black grouper courtship associated call (CAS) time-series were compared to lunar and solar periodicities, water temperature and tidal stage. The populations showed similar temporal patterns at the three spawning aggregations. Spawning season is strongly correlated with water temperature. Within the spawning season, CAS production is significantly influenced by lunar and solar periodicities. Production peaked between the last quarter and new moons during evening hours. The data suggests a potential correlation with tidal stage. Temporal patterns were consistent for three consecutive years at Mona Island. Temporal patterns were consistent between the two larger and geographically isolated aggregations, Mona Island and Riley’s Hump. Similar geomorphologies of these three aggregation sites indicate specific physical characteristics can be used to help in aggregation identification. Spawning aggregations were less than 150m from a promontory along the shelf edge at 25-35m depth and near deep water (>100m).