Yusuf,Y. B., M. Mohd-Norizam, A. B. Ali and I. Zaidnuddin, 2001.

Coral reef fish of some selected sites at Pulau Redang

Marine Park, Terengganu: A brief study. p 34-45. in Husain, M.L., F. Shahrom, A.T. Law, K. Yunus and A.R.G.Yaman.
Proceeding of National Symposium on Marine Park and Terengganu Islands. 12-13 Feb. 2001. Dept of Fisheries, Kuala
Lumpur and KUSTEM, Kuala Terengganu. Malaysia.

CORAL REEF FISH OF SOME SELECTED SITES AT PULAU REDANG MARINE

PARK, TERENGGANU: A BRIEF STUDY.

Yusri B Yusuf1, Meii Mohd Norizam2, Ahyaudin B. Ali1 & Zaidnuddin Illias3
1
School Of Biological Sciences,Universiti Sains Malaysia,11800 Minden, Pulau Pinang.
2
ICLARM, The World Fish Center, No. 10, Lower Level 6,Equatorial Hotel Office Block,1,
Jln Bukit Jambul,Bayan Lepas,Pulau Pinang.
3
Fisheries Research Institute,Batu Maung,Pulau Pinang.

Key words: Coral reef, fish, Marine Park, Pulau Redang.

Abstract
A preliminary study was done at selected localities to estimate the number of coral reef fish species at Pulau
Redang Marine Park. A total of 173 species and 86 genera from 40 families were observed during the study.
The most diverse family is Pomacentridae with 37 species, followed by Labridae with 22 species. Other typical
coral reef fish observed were from the families Apogonidae with 12 species; Serranidae and Scaridae with 10
species each; Nemipteridae with 9 species, Gobiidae with 8 species; and Chaetodontidae and Siganidae each
with 7 species. The number of Chaetodontidae is relatively low and only 2 obligate corallivores were observed
in the study even though the area is quite healthy in term of coral coverage. .

Abstrak
Tinjauan awal terhadap ikan terumbu karang di Taman Laut Pulau Redang telah dijalankan di beberapa tempat
yang dipilih untuk menganggarkan bilangan spesis ikan terumbu karang. Sebanyak 173 spesis dan 86 genera
daripada 40 famili telah diperhatikan semasa kajian. Famili Pomacentidae mempunyai kepelbagaian paling
tinggi dengan 37 spesis, diikuti oleh Labridae dengan 22 spesis. Ikan terumbu karang lain yang diperhatikan
ialah daripada famili Apogonidae dengan 12 spesis, 10 spesis bagi Serranidae dan Scaridae, Nemipteridae 9
spesis, Gobiidae 8 spesis dan 7 spesis bagi Chaetodontidae dan Siganidae. Bilangan spesis Chaetodontidae
adalah agak rendah dengan hanya 2 spesis pemakan karang jati diperhatikan sepanjang kajian walaupun litupan
karang di kawasan ini adalah agak sihat.

Introduction

Marine parks and marine reserves have been established at various locations
throughout the world to help in the conservation, recreation, education and management of
costal resources [1]. Because of the potential in maintaining and enhancing the surrounding
fisheries, the role of marine park in managing the fisheries had gained interest from various
researchers for the past years [2,3,4]. The park may function as a center for restoring fish
stocks within its boundary and acts as sources of larvae for recruitment of the outside area.
The park also can enhance fisheries by supplying the post-settlement juveniles or adults as
emigrants [2,3]. Studies have shown strong evidence that marine reserves enhanced the
abundance and size of certain fish species especially fisheries target-species within the
reserves boundaries [5,6,7]. An overall density of fishes was 1.4 times higher in the Apo
Island Reserved (The Philippines) than in similar non-reserved areas [5] and overall fish
biomass was 1.9 times greater in two marines reserves studied in the Caribbean compared to
the non-reserves [2].
In Malaysia, marine reserves were first established in 1983 with the declaration of
Pulau Redang as the Fisheries Prohibited Area (FPA). Thereafter, in 1985, 22 islands in the
states of Kedah, Trengganu, Pahang and Johor were also declared as FPA under the Fisheries
Act, 1963. Finally in 1994, waters stretching from the shore of the surrounding 40 islands, in
the State of Kedah, Trengganu, Pahang, Johor and the Federal Territory of Labuan were
declared as Marine Park, under the Fisheries Act 1985 [8]. Rahman & Ibrahim [9] had given
the basic description list of flora and fauna with the checklist of the species. They had listed
146 species of coral reef and associate fish around Pulau Redang Marine Park. However, the
fish list of the area is very much insufficient and there is an urgent need for recent taxonomic
revisions.

Methods
A general quantitative survey was carried out using SCUBA in the coral reef as well
as vicinities of the Park to record the total number of coral reef fish species. The species was
identified in-situ and for the unidentified species, underwater photographs were taken for
further references. The species are identified according works of several authors [10, 11, 12,
13]. The identification of the family Apogonidae was also done using Kuiter & Kozawa [14].

The observations were done at the following sites around Pulau Redang and Pulau
Pinang (Figure 1) at:
1. Pasir Macam Ayam, Pulau Redang
2. Marine Park Center, Pulau Pinang
3. Pasir Akar, Pulau Pinang
4. Teluk Pandan, Pulau Redang
5. Tanjung Teluk Siang, Pulau Redang
6. Pasir Kecil, Pulau Redang
7. Pulau Kerengga Kecil
8. Air Raja, Pulau Pinang
9. Pulau Ling
10. Terumbu Kili, Pulau Pinang

Sites 1 to 4 were also subjected to bottom-substrate composition study [15]. The fish
study was done to look into the number of species around the park without collecting any
quantitative data to compare between the sites, however some observations on certain species
that would play an important role in the ecosystem, were also done.
 Figure 1: The map of Pulau Redang showing the sampling locations.

Results and Discussion

The families, genera and species of fish are presented in alphabetical order in Table 1.
A total of 173 species and 86 genera from 40 families were observed during the study. The
most diversified family is Pomacentridae with 37 species (21.3% of total species), followed
by Labridae, which has 22 species (12.7% of total species). Other typical coral reef fish
observed were from the families Apogonidae with 12 species (6.9%); Serranidae and
Scaridae with 10 species (5.8%) each; Nemipteridae with 9 species (5.2%), Gobiidae with 8
species (4.6%); and Chaetodontidae and Siganidae each with 7 species (4.0%) (Figure 2).
 Table 1: Checklist of fishes of Pulau Redang Marine Park.

1. FAMILY APOGONIDAE 10. FAMILY CHAETODONTIDAE

Apogon aureus Chaetodon boronessa
A. crysopomus C. lunula
A. compressus C. octofasciatus
A. cyanosoma C. weibeli
A. rhodopterus Chelmon rostratum
Archaima fucata Coradion chrysozonus
A. macroptera Heniochus acuminiatus
A. zosterophora
Cheilodipterus heptaxona 11. FAMILY CHANIDAE
C. intermedius Chanos chanos
C. microdon
C. quinquelineatus 12. FAMILY DASYATIDAE
Taeniura lymma
2. FAMILY ACANTURIDAE
Acanthurus sp. 13. FAMILY EPHIPPIDAE
Naso lituratus Platax teira

3. FAMILY BELONIDAE 14. FAMILY GOBIIDAE

Tylosurus crocodilus Amblyeleotris steinitzi
Amblygobius phalaena
4. FAMILY BALISTIDAE Ctenogobius pomastictus
Balistiodes viridescens Cryptocentrus cinctus
Pseudobalistes flavimarginatus Istigobius decoratus
Valenciennea muralis
5. FAMILY BLENNIIDAE V. longipinnis
Plagoitremus rhinorhincus V. sexguttata
Salarias sp.
15. FAMILY GERREIDAE
6. FAMILY CARCHARIDAE Gerres oyena
Carcharhinus melanopterus
16. FAMILY GRAMMISTIDAE
7. FAMILY CAESIONIDAE Diploprion bifasciatum
Caesio xanthonata
C. caerulaurea 17. FAMILY HEMIRAMPHIDAE
C. teres Hemiramphus sp.
Hyporhampus affinis
8. FAMILY CARANGIDAE
Alepes sp. 18. FAMILY HAEMULIDAE
Gnathonodon speciosus Plectorhinchus celebicus
Trachinotus bailloni P. gibbosus

9. FAMILY CENTRICIDAE 19. FAMILY HOLOCENTRIDAE

Aeoliscus strigatus Myriptis kuntee
Sargocentron sp.
 26. FAMILY MUGILIDAE
20. FAMILY KYPOSIDAE Crenemugil crenilabis
Kyphosus cinerascens
27. FAMILY NEMIPTERIDAE
21. FAMILY LABRIDAE Scolopsis affinis
Bodianus mesothorax S. bilineatus
Cheilinus clorourus S. ciliatus
C. fasciatus S. lineatus
C. trilobatus S. margaritifer
C. undulatus S. monogramma
Diproctacanthus xanthurus S. trilineatus
Epibulus insidiator S. vosmeri
Gomphosus varius Pentapodus caninus
Helichoeres chloropterus
H. dussumieri 28. FAMILY OSTRACIIDAE
H. marginatus Ostracion cubicus
H. melanurus
H. scapularis 29. FAMILY POMACENTRIDAE
Hemiglymnus melapterus Amblyglyphidodon curacao
Labrichthys unilineatus A. leucogaster
Labroides dimidiatus Amblyglyphidodon sp.
Oxychelinius diagrammus Amphiprion clarkii
O. mentalis A. frenatus
Oxychelinius sp. A. melanopus
Pteragogus cryptus A. oceollaris
Stethojulis trilineata A. periderion
Thalassoma lunare Abudefduf bengalensis
A. notatus
22. FAMILY LETHRINIDAE A. sexfasciatus
Lethrinus erythropterus A.vaigiensis
L. olivaceus Cheiloprion labiatus
Lethrinus sp. Chrysiptera leucopoma
Cromis atripectoralis
23. FAMILY LUTJANIDAE C. chinaresens
Lutjanus argentimaculatus Dascyllus reticulates
L. decussatus D. trimaculatus
L. lutjanus Dischistodus chrysopaecilus
L. russelli D. melanotus
L. quinquelineatus D. perspiciliatus
L. vitta Hemiglyphidodon plagiometopodon
Neoglyphidodon melas
24. FAMILY MONACANTIDAE N. nigroris
Aluteres scriptus Neopomacentrus anabatoides
N. cyanomus
25. FAMILY MONODACTYLIDAE N. violascens
Monodactylus argentius Plectroglypidodon lacrymatus
Pomacentrus alexandrae
P. bankanensis S. gutttatus
P. bintanensis S. puellus
P. chrysurus S. vermiculatus
P. coelestis S. vulpinis
P. gymmnorhynchus S. virgatus
P. moluccensis
P. philippinus 36. FAMILY SPHYRAENIDAE
Stagestes lividus Sphyraena barracuda

30. FAMILY POMACANTHIDAE 37. FAMILY SYNODONTIDAE

Chaetodontoplus mesoleucas Synodus variegatus
Pomacanthus annularis
P. sextriatus 38. FAMILY TETRAODONTIDAE
Arothron nigropunctatus
31. FAMILY PEMPHERIDAE A. stellatus
Pempheris vanicolensis
39. FAMILY THERAPONIDAE
32. FAMILY PSEUDOCROMIDAE Terapon jarbua
Pseudocromis fuscus
40. FAMILY ZANCLIDAE
33. FAMILY SERRANIDAE Zinclus cornutus
Cephalopholis boenack
C. cynostigma
C. formosus
C. microprion
Ephinephelus fasciatus
E. fuscoguttatus
E. ongus
E. quoyanus
Plectropomus leopardus
P. maculatus

34. FAMILY SCARIDAE

Balbometopon muricatum
Scarus bleekeri
S. gobban
S. niger
S. prasiognathus
S. quoyi
S. rivulatus
S. rubroviolaceus
S. schlegeli
S. sordidus

35. FAMILY SIGANIDAE

Siganus canaliculatus
S. corallinus
 35

29.7
30

25
21.3
Percentage

20

15 12.7

10
6.9
5.8 5.8 5.2
4.6 4 4
5

Others
Gobiidae
Scaridae

Serranidae
Labridae

Siganidae
Apogonidae

Nemiptheridae

Chaetodontidae
Pomacentridae

Families

Figure 2: The composition (percentage) of fish families at Pulau Redang

The total number of species is relatively low compared to Pulau Payar Marine Park,
with 213 species from 47 families after two years of observation [16]. Due to the short
sampling duration and the behavior of certain species especially cryptic and nocturnal ones,
more species should be observed if longer and continuous sampling is conducted covering a
larger area than presently studied. This would have greatly increased the number of species,
particularly cryptic species like Angiulliformes (eels) and Apogonidae (cardinalfishes),
camouflaged species like Scorpaenidae (scorpionfish), Antennariidae (frogfish) and
Pleuronectiformes (flatfish), and small species like Gobiidae (gobies), Bleniidae (blennies)
and Callionymidae (dragonets) [17].
 Large number of Stagestes lividus (“algae farmer”) was observed at Pasir Akar and
Pasir Macam Ayam, which had a high number of dead corals, overgrown with algae [15].
This fish had a habit of weeding an algae garden growing on dead coral branches by removing
the undesirable species in order to promote the growth of the preferred one. They can be
really aggressive and will attempt to chase all intruders [11]. This area has high algae
biomass and primary productivity relative to the surrounding algal communities [18] and
greater diversity of algae than other substrate that is exposed to intense fish grazing [19]. This
damselfish will enhance local diversity on reef through “intermediate-disturbance” effect, and
is a keystone species that decreases rather than increase overall predation intensity relative to
areas where it is absent [19]. However, this phenomenon may directly increase the
competition of algae and coral thus will result in slow recovery of the corals. More detail
study need to be conducted to look at the eventual effect of this species to the recovery of
coral after certain disturbance and colonization by algae.
The number of Chaetodontidae (butterflyfish) in the area is relatively low; i.e. seven
species with only two species being obligate corallivores, Chaetodon boronessa and C
octofasciatus, even though the area seems to have more abundant and healthier corals (pers.
obs.) when compared with Pulau Payar Marine Park which accounted for 16 species out of
which seven species are known to be obligate corallivores, which feed entirely on coral
polyps [20, 21].

Conclusion

The number of coral reef fish observed during the study was generally low compared to other
localities even though the coral condition is very much in a good coverage. More large and
long term monitoring needs to be conducted to have a complete list of fishes within the park.

Acknowledgement

We would like to thank the staff of Pulau Redang Marine Park and Pusat Penyelidikan
Perikanan Batu Maung for the help during the course of the study. Some students from USM,
UPM and UKM also assisted the study during their practical training.

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