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Rapid growth and short life spans characterize pipefish populations in vulnerable seagrass beds
Author(s) -
Parkinson K. L.,
Booth D. J.
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
journal of fish biology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.672
H-Index - 115
eISSN - 1095-8649
pISSN - 0022-1112
DOI - 10.1111/jfb.12950
Subject(s) - biology , seagrass , threatened species , ecology , zoology , habitat
The life‐history traits of two species of pipefish (Syngnathidae) from seagrass meadows in New South Wales, Australia, were examined to understand whether they enhance resilience to habitat degradation. The spotted pipefish Stigmatopora argus and wide‐bodied pipefish Stigmatopora nigra exhibit some of the shortest life spans known for vertebrates (longevity up to 150 days) and rapid maturity (male S. argus 35 days after hatching ( DAH ) and male S. nigra at 16–19 DAH ), key characteristics of opportunistic species. Growth rates of both species were extremely rapid (up to 2 mm day −1 ), with seasonal and sex differences in growth rate. It is argued that short life spans and high growth rates may be advantageous for these species, which inhabit one of the most threatened marine ecosystems on earth.