Abstract
The study of reproductive traits of fishes can contribute to estimates of population size and to predictions of population growth or decline (Lowerre-Barbieri et al. 2011). While often applicable to the management and assessment of fisheries stocks, understanding a species’ reproductive traits can also be useful in the management of invasive, pest, or overpopulated species. Determination of sex and reproductive phase are primary steps in assessing population demographic parameters, and macroscopic techniques allow for low cost data collection. This study incorporates aspects of applied fish reproductive biology (Kjesbu 2009) with the development of an applied tool for data collection, and contributes to the population assessment and management of invasive lionfish (Pterois volitans and P. miles) in Biscayne National Park, FL.
The aims of this study were to derive and validate a classification scheme for rapid assessment of sex and reproductive phase of lionfish in Biscayne national Park, FL. This study evaluates gonadal phase of development of male and female lionfish using high- throughput macroscopic assessment of the gonads. The results of the macroscopic evaluation of these fish, recorded using digital photography, were validated using traditional histological analysis on a subset of individuals. After validation, this macroscopic gonad classification scheme was utilized in a citizen science initiative in Biscayne National park, where students and educators dissected and collected photographs of lionfish gonads. These photographs were analyzed, with gonads being identified for sex and reproductive phase according to the produced classification scheme. This citizen science initiative assisted in the collection of hundreds of gonad photographs, contributing to a large dataset, the analysis of which was used to describe reproductive traits, strategies, and demographic parameters of lionfish in Biscayne National Park.