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Spatial behaviour and site fidelity of the sicklefin lemon shark Negaprion acutidens in a remote Indian Ocean atoll

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Abstract

Understanding the movement behaviour of any species is important for developing species-specific management and conservation measures. In recent years, the sicklefin lemon shark Negaprion acutidens has shown rapid range reductions and has even disappeared altogether in certain areas. In this study, the area use patterns and site fidelity of the N. acutidens were assessed at the St. Joseph Atoll in the Seychelles. Passive acoustic telemetry methods were employed to monitor the movements of 19 tagged individuals for 1 year. Area use within the lagoon of the atoll was found to be highly restricted, with individuals typically utilising a small portion of the available area throughout the year. A high-use zone was apparent in the south-east of the atoll’s lagoon, which was shared by many of the monitored individuals. Fidelity to the study site was found to be extremely high, with the 79 % of tagged N. acutidens still present in the atoll at the end of the study. Individuals displayed both diel and tidal movements between the lagoon and surrounding habitats. The restricted area use and high site fidelity observed in this study highlight both the vulnerability of this species to rapid over exploitation and importance of remote habitats such as the St. Joseph Atoll in their future conservation. The results obtained here can be used to inform management decisions regarding the development and utilisation of similar atoll environments throughout the species’ range.

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Acknowledgments

The authors thank U. Engelhardt and B. Natty for their assistance in the field. Thanks also go to M. Soria for assistance with scientific equipment. We thank the D’Arros Research Centre for providing logistical support and facilitating access to the study site. We thank F. Ménard for his assistance with the FFT analysis and also the two anonymous reviewers for their useful comments, which helped improve this manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity (SAIAB), Private Bag 1015, Grahamstown, 6140, South Africa

    J. D. Filmalter & P. D. Cowley

  2. Department of Ichthyology and Fisheries Science, Rhodes University, Grahamstown, 6140, South Africa

    J. D. Filmalter

  3. Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD), UMR 212, Fishing Port, Victoria, Seychelles

    J. D. Filmalter & L. Dagorn

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  1. J. D. Filmalter
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  2. L. Dagorn
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  3. P. D. Cowley
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Correspondence to J. D. Filmalter.

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Communicated by D. Righton.

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Filmalter, J.D., Dagorn, L. & Cowley, P.D. Spatial behaviour and site fidelity of the sicklefin lemon shark Negaprion acutidens in a remote Indian Ocean atoll. Mar Biol 160, 2425–2436 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00227-013-2237-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00227-013-2237-1

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