Johnson Seeto

Discovery of an important aggregation area for endangered scalloped hammerhead sharks, Sphyrna lewini, in the Rewa River estuary, Fiji Islands

The scalloped hammerhead shark, Sphyrna lewini, is endangered throughout its global distribution. Management and protection of this species is challenging in many locations because of limited scientific data and the vulnerable life-history traits of the species. Our study investigated anecdotal evidence that the Rewa River estuary in Fiji serves as an important nursery area for this shark. Research findings indicated that the average length of both males (60.6 ± 6.78 cm, n = 31) and females (60.4 ± 6.85 cm, n = 51) was well within published size limits of juvenile S. lewini studied in other locations (range = 38.0–89.5 cm). On the basis of published reference points for umbilical scar status we postulate that the first captured juveniles were born in January of the study year. Stomach content analysis found the following prey items: Decapoda (represented by prawns and shrimps), Stomatopoda, anguilliformes and osteichthyes. Decapods were the most numerous prey item by both count (59.17% of total prey items) and weight (60.25% of total weight). Our study provides strong support that the Rewa River estuary is an important aggregation area for S. lewini in Fiji.

A New Species of Paracaesio (Pisces: Lutjanidae) from the Fiji Islands

A new species of deep water lutjanid, Paracaesio stonei, is described from 2 specimens caught in Fiji waters at a depth of 220 m. The new species is distinctly different from Paracaesio kusakarii and Paracaesio gonzalesi which also occur in Fiji waters. It differs from Paracaesio kusakarii in possessing a naked maxillary, in lacking the characteristic hump on the head and in having larger eyes and more prominent dentition. It is easily distinguishable from Paracaesio gonzalesi by the notable absence of the yellow slash running to the 10th dorsal spine from the beginning of the lateral line, caudal fin coloration, and the much deeper body. The gill raker count in P. stonei is 28, compared to 31 in P. gonzalesi, based on two specimens of the former and three individuals of the latter species examined from Fiji waters. ABE and Shinohara (1962) reviewed all the Paracaesio species then known and described a new species. These were Paracaesio caeruleus (Katayama), Paracaesio cantharoides (Barnard), Paracaesio kusakarii Abe, Paracaesio xanthurus (Bleeker), Paracaesio pedleyi McCulloch and Waite, Paracaesio tumidus (Tanaka) and Paracaesio sordidus Abe and Shinohara. Fourmanoir and Rivaton (1979) described a new species, Paracaesio gonzalesi. Until now, the genus has consisted of 8 species of Indo-West Pacific distribution. Two specimens of a new species of Paracaesio were caught recently by Robert Stone on the eastern slope of the outer reef of Beqa Islands in the Fiji Group. We describe this ninth species here. The two other species of Paracaesio from Fiji are P. gonzalesi and P. kusakarii.