Vertebrates (pdf)

	Fish checklist grows furthur at Cape d'Aguilar
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	Birds of Paradise in Irian Jaya, Indonesia
	Hong Kong's common rat species
	Update on South China Tigers at Meihuashan National Nature Reserve, Fujian Province, China

Fish checklist grows further at Cape d’Aguilar

by Andy Cornish

Despite poor visibility at the Marine Reserve all summer, a number of new records have been made in recent months. On 25 June a small school of Silvery Moony (Monodactylus argenteus) were recorded at 10 m depth. The same day, a 35 cm Giant grouper (Epinephelus lanceolatus) was observed in a small cave (Fig. 1). This huge species, which can reach 2.30 m in length, has been very rare in Hong Kong in recent decades although a few have been seen on artificial reefs in recent years (Wilson 2003). There has also been a resident school of Rivulated parrotfish (Scarus rivulatus) consisting of four terminal males and more then ten initial phase females. Although the females are relatively abundant locally, this is the first time I have seen a male in > 700 dives. A 20 cm terminal male Globehead parrotfish (Scarus globiceps) seen on 10 July with the Rivulated parrotfishes is not just a new record for the reserve, but also for Hong Kong. The cumulative total of reef fishes at Cape d’Aguilar (see More new fishes from the Cape d’Aguilar Marine Reserve, Porcupine! 28) is now 184.

Bibliography

Wilson K.D.P. (2003). Artificial Reefs and Reef Fish in Hong Kong. Friends of the Country Parks, A.F.C.D. and Cosmos Books. pp 176.

Fig.1. Giant grouper (Epinephelus lanceolatus) at the Lema Islands, China. (Photo: Andy Cornish)

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