Land of the rising Sunfish

New observations of Sunfish behaviour have revealed an intriguing symbiotic relationship with Laysan Albatross.

When Japanese researchers in the western North Pacific observed a school of Sunfish appearing to actively follow Laysan Albatrosses resting on the sea, they were soon to discover that this behaviour was mutually beneficial. The juvenile Sunfish, measuring about 40 cm across, were heavily infested with a parasitic worm-like copepod Pennella, a kind of crustacean, which held somewhat of an attraction for the birds. It soon became apparent that the albatrosses were feeding on the worms, as one was photographed doing just this.

The observers suggest that this cleaning behaviour may be frequent in the lifestyle of Sunfish, as the fish seem to actively seek out the birds, which then relieve them of their parasitic. the Sunfish school numbered about 57 individuals and were swimming right at the surface, exhibiting no defensive or evasive behaviour. The feeding actions of one Laysan Albatross soon attracted more, including a black-footed Albatross too. Some of the Sunfish appeared to present themselves by swimming sideways next to the birds, the better to show their parasites.

On a pelagic birding trip, Sunfish are often one of the major non-avian attractions a they swim on or near the surface, and it had been suggested that this behaviour might be due in some respect to their parasitic load. It would now appear that this might actually attract seabirds to remove the parasites. sunfish have also been noted to have associations with Sooty Shearwaters for possibly the same reason, and are attended by cleaner fish species.

Sunfish is the largest marine bony fish species, growing up to 2.7 m in length and weighing up to 2.3 tonnes. Laysan Albatross is a wide-ranging seabird in the North Pacific, with an estimated global population of over 1,180,000, though it is classed as Near Threatened by BirdLife International due to historical declines, but there are also signs that there has been a recent range expansion.

Reference
Abe, T, Sekiguchi, K, Onishi, H, Muramatsu, K and Kamito, T. 2012. Observations on a school of ocean sunfish and evidence for a symbiotic cleaning association with albatrosses. Marine Biology DOI 10.1007/s00227-011-1873-6

https://www.birdwatch.co.uk/channel/newsitem.asp?c=11&cate=__11785

Rare tropical fish found washed up on Margate beach

A GIANT tropical fish was washed up on a Margate beach in last week's wild weather.

The discovery of the Ocean sunfish, measuring two feet, was made near the Nayland Rock around 3pm on Thursday.

The baby fish, thousands of miles from its natural home, was discovered alive but, by the time volunteers from the British Diver's Marine Life Rescue (BDMLR) arrived, it had died.

BDMLR area co-ordinator Jon Brooks said the initial report was of a stranded porpoise but instead they found the fish. It is only the third sighting of a sunfish in Kent in a decade.

Mr Brooks said: "As we specialise in marine mammals, I don't know much about them. It is a quite interesting discovery and very different from what we normally deal with."

Andrew Horton, director of the British Marine Life Study Society, said: "It is certainly an extremely rare find on the North Sea coast. They are normally found deep in the open oceans such as the Pacific or the Atlantic, but they can sometimes find their way to places like Cornwall, where it is unusual but not as rare. The recent awful weather and rough sea conditions could explain how it could have ended up on the beach"

Bryony Chapman, marine life officer at the Kent Wildlife Trust said: "Kent Wildlife Trust is always very keen to receive reports of unusual sightings like this."

The fish was removed and disposed off by Thanet council workers.

In the past four weeks, a dead whale has also been stranded in Birchington and four seals have been rescued across Thanet.

http://www.thisiskent.co.uk/Rare-tropical-fish-washed-Margate-beach/story-14389360-detail/story.html

Feds may protect rare sunfish found only in Limestone County's Beaverdam Creek

http://blog.al.com/breaking/2011/04/feds_may_protect_rare_sunfish.html

HUNTSVILLE, Alabama -- A fish the size of your pinkie finger could prove to be a giant obstacle to development near Limestone County's Beaverdam Creek.

The City of Huntsville has perhaps the most at stake as the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service decides whether to declare the spring pygmy sunfish an endangered species.

On Thursday, wildlife officials announced that the sunfish "may warrant federal protection." The agency said it will launch a comprehensive status review to determine if the rare fish should fall under the Endangered Species Act.

University of Alabama graduate student Michael Sandel, who is studying the sunfish as part of his doctoral research in evolutionary biology, said a five-mile stretch of Beaverdam Creek is the "last stand" for a fish once found in spring-fed streams across the region.

"This is the worst state they've been in since they were rediscovered in 1973," Sandel said in a phone interview Monday.

Although he estimates their population to be in the thousands, Sandel said spring pygmy sunfish are hyper-sensitive to pollution washed into the creek from farm fields. "We can wipe them out by the thousands without even knowing it."

In November 2009, Sandel and the Center for Biological Diversity in Oregon petitioned the federal government to step in and protect the sunfish from possible extinction.

Dr. Bruce Stallsmith, a University of Alabama in Huntsville biology professor, and the North American Native Fishes Association submitted letters supporting an endangered species listing.

Through annexations, part of Beaverdam Creek is now within the Huntsville city limits. And that means change is coming.

The city hopes to create a new industrial park on a 1,500-acre farm near Greenbrier Road and Old Highway 20 where Volkswagen strongly considered building its first U.S. automotive plant in 2008. That property, called the Sewell tract, touches the creek.

Even if Huntsville is unable to come up with the $30 million needed to buy the land, it is marching forward with a major sewer line alongside the creek that will make the area easier to develop.

Economic Development Director Joe Vallely said the city is "committed to working with the Fish & Wildlife Service to ensure that any expansion in that area is done in an environmentally responsible way."

Vallely noted that Alabama cities are accustomed to working within the confines of the Endangered Species Act because the state has more federally protected animals -- 88 -- than any place but California.

"We're well aware of how to plan for growth and take the needs of threatened species into account," he said Monday.

Ray Mahaffey, who is building a 771-lot subdivision a few miles away on Limestone Creek, said growth along Beaverdam Creek won't stop if the spring pygmy sunfish becomes a protected species.

However, developers would have to "take extra precautions" to keep the creek pristine, he said Monday. "You don't want a big, muddy, eroded bank that clouds the water."

Mahaffey said businesses and homes would have to stay well back from the water, perhaps with a wide, grassy buffer called a "bioswale" in between. "Some would argue that it (adds to the cost of a project), but I don't think it's significant.

"I just think it's doing the right thing for the environment."