The Marine Environment of the Pitcairn Islands - Pew Environment ...

Plate 17. Pronghorn or red spiny lobster Panulirus
penicillatus. (Photo: R.A. Irving)
Plate 19. Aesop slipper lobster Scyllarides haanii. (Photo:
T.P. Dawson)
Plate 21. The shell of the gastropod Fusinus galatheae
bountyi, a subspecies believed to be endemic to Pitcairn.
(Photo: R.C. Preece)
33 species (all collected by Dr J.E. Randall) were new to
science when first discovered at Pitcairn in 1971 (Randall,
1999), although several of these have now been found
elsewhere. These are listed below in Table 5, together with
those species regarded as being of conservation concern.
The most common fishes observed at diving depths of
about 10–20 m at Pitcairn are the wrasses Thalasoma
lutescens and Coris sp., the surgeonfish Acanthurus
leucopareius, the damselfishes Chrysiptera galba and
Stegastes fasicolatus, and drummer/nanwi Kyphosus
bigibbus (Randall, 1999; R.A. Irving, pers. obs.). Nanwi
(the local vernacular name) occur in very large shoals
(up to 300 or so) near rocky outcrops, upon which tens
of individuals may suddenly swoop and feed voraciously
Plate 18. Easter Island spiny lobster Panulirus pascuensis.
(Photo: R.A. Irving)
Plate 20. The ‘freshwater’ shrimp Macrobrachium
latimanus. (Photo: R.A. Irving)
Plate 22. The octopus ‘Octopus’ oliveri is often caught in
shallow rocky areas around Bounty Bay.
(Photo: T.P. Dawson)
before being moved on by a dominant individual (which
may well display different colouration). This species is
an important food fish for the islanders (see also section
3.1.5).
The two shark species which are most likely to be
seen at Pitcairn are the Galapagos shark Carcharhinus
galapagensis and the whitetip reef shark Triaenodon
obesus. The teeth of a caught shark will be used as teeth
in hand-carved wooden sharks which are crafted for sale.
To date, two tiger sharks Galeocerdo cuvier have been
reported from Pitcairn, one in 1980 and one in 1985. In
addition, a spotted eagle ray Aetobatus narinari, with a
disc width of 1.5 m, was caught off the jetty in Bounty Bay
in 1974.
Table 5. Noteworthy reef fishes occurring at Pitcairn.
Species IUCN
Code*
Notes
Many-spined
butterflyfish
Hemitaurichthys
multispinosus
Pitcairn angelfish
Genicanthus spinus
Hotumatua’s angelfish
Centropyge hotumatua
Smith’s butterflyfish
Chaetodon smithi
Pitcairn parrotfish
Scarus longipinnis
Species IUCN
Code*
Giant grouper
Epinephalus lanceolatus
Surge grouper
Epinephalus socialis
Moray eel
Gymnothorax australicola
Moray eel
Uropterygius kamar
Lizardfish
Synodus capricornis
Flyingfish
Cypselurus pitcairnensis
Squirrelfish
Sargocentron hormion
Doublespot perchlet
Plectranthias
fourmanoiri
Dwarf perchlet
Plectranthias nanus
Redblotch perchlet
Plectranthias winniensis
Longfin anthias
Pseudanthias ventralis
Southern anthias
Pseudogramma australis
Cardinalfish
Apogon caudicinctus
Damselfish
Chromis pamae
Damselfish
Chrysiptera galba
Damselfish
Dascyllus flavicaudus
16 The Marine Environment of the Pitcairn Islands: Pitcairn
The Marine Environment of the Pitcairn Islands: Pitcairn
LC New species (first discovered at Pitcairn in 1971 by J.E. Randall)
and endemic to Pitcairn Island. Depth range 40–44 m. Inhabits
seaward reefs; apparently a deep dweller. Ref. Allen, G.R. (1985).
(Photo: J.E. Randall)
LC New species, first discovered at Pitcairn in 1971 by J.E. Randall.
Depth range 30–60 m. Max. length: 35 cm. Distribution: Eastern
Pacific, Cook Islands to Ducie Atoll (Pitcairn).
(Photo: J.E. Randall)
LC New species, first discovered at Pitcairn in 1971 by J.E. Randall.
Depth range 30–60 m. Max. length 35 cm. Distribution: All four
Pitcairn Islands, the Australs, and Rapa.
(Photo: J.E. Randall)
LC New species, first discovered at Pitcairn in 1971 by J.E. Randall.
Depth range: 10-30 m. Max. length 17 cm. Distribution: Pitcairn
Island, Rapa & Ilots de Bass. (Photo: R.A. Irving)
LC New species, first discovered at Pitcairn in 1971. Depth range:
10-55 m. Max. length 40 cm. Distribution: Pitcairn & Henderson;
Great Barrier Reef and southern Pacific islands. (Photo: J.E. Randall)
Notes Species IUCN
Code*
VU Also recorded from
Henderson. Vulnerable
status due to overfishing
elsewhere.
NT Typically present in
surge zone, 1–4 m. Near
Threatened status due to
overfishing elsewhere.
White-tip reef shark
Triaenodon obesus
Spotted eagle ray
Aetobatus narinari
NE New species Tahiti damselfish
Pomachromis fuscidorsalis
NE New species Emery’s gregory
Stegastes emeryi
NE New species Feminine wrasse
Anampses femininus
NE New species Scott’s wrasse
Cirrhlabrus scottorum
Notes
NT Present at all four islands.
Near Threatened status due to
practice of finning worldwide.
NT Only recorded from Pitcairn,
though has circumtropical
distribution. Near Threatened
status due to overfishing
elsewhere.
NE New species
NE New species
NE New species
NE New species
NE New species Wrasse Coris sp. NE New species
NE New species Black-ear wrasse
Halichoeres
melasmapomus
NE New species
NE New species Wrasse
Pseudocheilinus citrinus
NE New species
NE New species Tailspot wrasse
Pseudocheilinus ocellatus
NE New species
NE New species Polynesian wrasse
Pseudojuloides atavai
NE New species
NE New species Wrasse Thalassoma
heiseri
NE New species
NE New species Blenny Alticus sp. NE New species
NE New species Eyebar goby
Gnatholepis cauerensis
NE New subspecies
NE New species Goby Trimmatom sp. NE New species
NE New species Pitcairn sandlance
Ammodytoides leptus
NE New species
* IUCN’s Red List categories (IUCN, 2012): VU = Vulnerable; NT = Near Threatened; LC = Least Concern; NE = Not Evaluated
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