New records of fishes from the Bonaparte Seamount and Saint Helena Island, South Atlantic

Abstract

A small collection of fishes from the Bonaparte Seamount (15°40′S, 6°55′W, 130 km west of Saint Helena Island, least depth 105 m), comprising 14 specimens from nine species in eight families, is described. This appears to be the first collection of fishes reported from the seamount. In addition, seven new records for St Helena (15°58′S, 5°43′W) are reported as well as additional specimens of several rarely caught endemics. The scorpaenid Pontinus nigropunctatus, previously known only from St Helena, is now also reported from Bonaparte Seamount while the serranid Holanthias fronticinctus, also considered a St Helena endemic, has been found to comprise 20% of the diet of yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares) at the Seamount. The carangid Decapterus muroadsi which was previously recorded in the Atlantic only at St Helena is now also recorded from the Bonaparte Seamount. A second specimen of the primarily Indo-Pacific carangid Uraspis helvola is recorded from St Helena (third record for the Atlantic). Particularly interesting new records at St Helena, which represents significant range extensions, are of Corniger spinosus (Holocentridae), and of Carangoides ruber and Seriola fasciata (Carangidae). The potential role of shallow seamounts around Ascension and St Helena as ‘stepping stones’ between the two islands is discussed.

Keywords :

• Bonaparte Seamount
• Saint Helena Island
• South Atlantic
• Scorpaenidae
• Carangidae
• Holocentridae
• zoogeography