NOTAS SOBRE LA REPRODUCCIÓN, MORFOLOGÍA Y ECOLOGÍA DE Pareques acuminatus (TELEOSTEI: SCIAENIDAE), EN LA REGIÓN DE SANTA MARTA, CARIBE COLOMBIANO.

Abstract

The highhat,  Pareques acuminatus , is a carnivorous, small sized species, with distribution in the western Atlantic from North Carolina and Bermuda to Brazil. Studies on the biology and ecology of  P. acuminatus are scarce and in Colombia there is no previous research for this species. For this reason, this study focused on knowing the biology of the species and determining ecological aspects in order to expand its knowledge in the Colombian Caribbean. Captures of the species were made by freediving and visual fish censuses were taken on the habitat where it was observed. The morphometrics and meristics were taken, the reproductive phases identified and the partial fecundity estimated by the gravimetric method. A total of 85 individuals were collected with a TL between 33 and 185 mm (123.7 ± 36.3 mm) with individuals between 121-142 mm (42 %) as the more frequent, followed by 143-164 mm (20 %). There were 39 females, 34 males and 12 indeterminate juvenilespecimens. Females reach mature state with 118 mm TL, being an asynchronous species, with two reproductive phases (phase in development and phase capable of spawning). The estimated partial fecundity was 8744 ± 3900 oocytes, and the relative fecundity in relation to size was 64.15 ± 25.51 oocitos/mm with a diameter of 0.53 ± 0.04 mm. The highhat is a typical specie of shallow reef habitats, and was found mainly accompanied by  Myripristis jacobus , Canthigaster rostrata ,  Haemulon steindachneri ,  H. flavolineatum ,  Stegastes partitus and  Chromis multilineata .