Title:
Novel deep‐water spawning patterns of bonefsh (Albula vulpes), a shallow-water fish
Authors:
Steven M. Lombardo · Aaron J. Adams · Andy J. Danylchuk
· Cameron A. Luck · Matthew J. Ajemian
Abstract:
Coastal marine fshes that form spawning aggregations most commonly exhibit a two-point movement pattern, with locations separated by migration: home range to spawning aggregation site and return to home range. However, the bonefsh, Albula vulpes, partakes in a unique three-point spawning migration. Bonefsh migrate up to 80 km from shallow water home fats to form nearshore pre-spawning aggregations (PSA) before moving ofshore to spawn. Although these broad patterns have previously been documented, details of the ofshore spawning-associated diving behavior have yet to be rigorously examined. Using active acoustic telemetry and sonar data in 2019 in Abaco, The Bahamas, we provide a complete account of bonefsh ofshore spawning movements and novel deep diving behavior to 137.9 m. Bonefsh were continuously observed at depths≥100 m for 2 h; a time period that included multiple depth changes and culminated in a spawning ascent to 67.3 m at 0.57 m s−1. These new data on bonefsh ofshore movements and deep dives, coupled with CTD data, suggest that bonefsh actively spawn at pycnoclines and thermoclines. Two previous tracking attempts (2013, 2018) at this location refect spatiotemporal plasticity in spawning, a behavior counter to other aggregation forming fshes. This is the frst detailed documentation of such deep spawning for a shallow water coastal fsh species. The ecological motivation for diving to the deepest depths remains speculative. Future work must examine the dynamic relationship between bonefsh diving behavior, spawning site selection, and oceanographic features.