Tropical Atlantic Region

The Tropical Atlantic Region covers both sides of the Atlantic Ocean. In the west it extends from Bermuda, southern Florida, and the Gulf of Mexico through the Caribbean and along the South American coast to Cape Frio in south-eastern Brazil’s Rio de Janeiro state. In the east it extends along the African coast from Cape Blanco in Mauritania to the Tigres Peninsula on the coast of Angola. It also includes the seas around Saint Helena and Ascension. The Temperate Northern Atlantic Region lies to the north on both the North American and African–European shores of the Atlantic. To the south, the ocean regions conform to the continental margins, not the ocean basins. The Temperate South America region lies to the south along the South American coast, and the Temperate Southern Africa Region to the south along the African coast.

 

Species and subspecies

The American or West Indian manatee (Trichechus manatus) is the largest surviving sirenian (a group of mammals that also includes the African manatee, dugong, and the now extinct Steller’s sea cow). Two subspecies are currently recognized. The Florida manatee (T. m. latirostris) is, during the winter months, confined to a few sheltered areas in southern peninsular Florida, where they need the warm water (principally artesian springs) to survive. During the non-winter months they generally disperse to major freshwater bodies such as Lake Okeechobee and the larger river systems. A few travel much further afield to neighbouring Gulf states, and vagrants have occasionally been reported from the Bahamas. When Juan Ponce de León was exploring the coast of America in 1513 he found that manatees were common, particularly Florida. With European settlements these phlegmatic marine browsers of submerged plants became an easy target for hunters, who shot them both for fun and for food. Their numbers dwindled rapidly. By the 1970s, when they were at last given legal protection, only a few hundred remained. Since then the population has increased to around 6000, but the animals remain vulnerable to stochastic events such as algae blooms and are often grievously injured by boat propellers. The Caribbean manatee (T. m. manatus) was also formerly very abundant, being found in central and northern South America from Mexico east to the Greater Antilles and south to Brazil. During the seventeenth century they were so common in the Guianas that ships were specially chartered in the Netherlands to hunt them and to transport the meat to the West Indies. Historically the animals were hunted by local natives and sold to European explorers for food, and later harvested for their skin and oil. Populations are still to be found, sparsely, throughout their historical range. Today the major threat is loss of habitat, poaching, entanglement with fishing gear, and vessel strikes.

The Atlantic humpbacked dolphin (Sousa teuszii) is confined to the shallow coastal and estuarine waters of western Africa from Western Sahara to Angola. It is threatened mainly by fisheries by-catch, habitat destruction and degradation, and pollution.

The estuarine dolphin or costero (Sotalia guianensis) occurs widely in the coastal waters of northern and eastern South America from Honduras to southern Brazil, but is everywhere declining due to hunting for use as bait, fisheries by-catch, and pollution.

Three distinct subpopulations of leatherback sea turtle (Dermochelys coriacea) have been recognized in the Atlantic Ocean. The north-western Atlantic subpopulation nests in the south-eastern United States, throughout the mainland and insular Caribbean, and the coast of South America. Its marine habitats extend throughout the Gulf of Mexico and the North Atlantic beyond 50°N, into the Mediterranean, and south across the equator to north-western Africa. The nesting epicentre for the South-east Atlantic subpopulation lies on Bioko Island and along the coast of western Africa in Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, and Republic of Congo, with additional nesting in much smaller numbers extending north Senegal and south to Angola. The south-western Atlantic subpopulation nests only in southern Brazil. Its marine habitat is thought to extend north across the equator and east to the coast of Atlantic Africa, south-west to Uruguay and Argentina, and south-east to South African waters.

The Atlantic Ocean subpopulation of the green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas) is most abundant in the Tropical Atlantic Region, although individuals have been spotted as far north as Canada and the British Isles and as far south as Argentina and beyond the southern tip of Africa. The major nesting sites can be found on various Caribbean islands, along the eastern United States, the eastern coast of South America, and (most notably) on isolated islands in both the North and South Atlantic.

The Atlantic hawksbill sea turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata imbricata) has a similar ranging distribution, with major nesting sites scattering through the Gulf of Mexico, the Caribbean, the northern and eastern coast of South America, and possibly the western coast of Africa.

Three distinct subpopulations of loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta) have been broadly recognized from the Tropical Atlantic. The north-eastern tropical Atlantic subpopulation nests primarily in the Cape Verde Archipelago, with just a few nests recorded in Mauritania and Guinea. Its marine habitats extend throughout a large area off the north-western coast of Africa as far as Sierra Leone. The north-western tropical Atlantic subpopulation breeds mostly in the southeastern U.S. and on the Yucatán Peninsula in south-eastern Mexico. Its marine habitats extend throughout central Atlantic Ocean. The south-west tropical Atlantic subpopulation breeds along the coast of South America from northern Brazil to Argentina.

The smalleye hammerhead shark (Sphyrna tudes) occurs along the continental shelf of northern and eastern South America from Venezuela and Trinidad and Tobago to the south-eastern Brazilian state of Maranhão. It is threatened by overfishing and by-catch.

The daggernose shark (Isogomphodon oxyrhynchus) is a little-known and naturally rare species from the shallow coastal waters of north-eastern South America. It is threatened mainly by gillnets.

The Cuban ribbontail catshark (Eridacnis barbouri) is a deep-water species confined to the Florida Straits and the northern coast of Cuba.

The Caribbean roughshark (Oxynotus caribbaeus) is an uncommon bottom-dwelling species with a relatively small and apparently disjunct distribution in the Gulf of Mexico and off the coast of Venezuela.

The white-spotted guitarfish (Rhinobatos albomaculatus) and the spineback guitarfish (R. irvinei) are both found along the western coast of Africa from the north-east to Angola, where they are seriously threatened by intense fishing pressure.

Lubbert’s wedgefish (Rhynchobatus luebberti) is a large, shark-like ray found along the western coast of Africa from Mauritania to Angola. It is seriously threatened by overfishing both for its meat as well as its fins.

The dwarf sicklefin chimaera (Neoharriotta carri) is found sporadically along the coast of Central and northern South America from Panama to Venezuela, where it may be threatened by fishing pressure.

The lesser devil ray (Mobula hypostoma), as presently defined, occurs patchily along the continental and insular shelves from the south-eastern United States to northern Argentina, including the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean, and from Morocco to Angola in the east. It has been seriously depleted by overfishing and by-catch.

The rosette torpedo ray (Torpedo bauchotae) is a type of electric ray found sporadically along the western coast of Africa from Senegal to Angola. It is likely threatened by bottom trawling.

The painted electric ray (Diplobatis picta), as presently defined, occurs in shallow waters along the northern and north-eastern coasts of South America from Venezuela to the mouth of the Amazon, where it is threatened by trawling.

Two stingrays of the genus Fontitrygon are seriously threatened by overfishing. The Colares stingray (F. colarensis) occurs in estuaries and shallow coastal waters around the Amazon River outflow. The daisy stingray (F. margarita) is found along the western coast of Africa from Senegal to Gabon, including the islands of the Gulf of Guinea.

The Brazilian large-eyed stingray (Hypanus marianae) is confined to the coastal waters of north-eastern Brazil, where it is subject to heavy trawling pressure outside of protected marine areas.

The ocellated skate (Raja ackleyi) is known only from a few scattered localities in the western Atlantic (southern Florida, Cuba, and the Gulf of Mexico off the Yucatán Peninsula).

The West African skate (Bathyraja hesperafricana) is a poorly known deep-water species known only from a small number of specimens collected from coastal West Africa (Mauritania to Gabon, including the Cape Verde Islands).

The lightnose skate (Breviraja colesi) is a deep-water species known from the eastern coast of Florida, the Bahamas, and Cuba.

The fanfin skate (Pseudoraja fischeri) is found patchily in deeper waters of the southern Gulf of Mexico, the Florida Keys, Lesser Antilles, and coastal Panama.

The Brazilian soft skate (Malacoraja obscura) is known only from five specimens collected from two localities on the south-eastern Brazilian continental slope off the states of Espírito Santo and Rio de Janeiro.

The broadfoot legskate (Cruriraja cadenati) is a deepwater species known only from two localities (Puerto Rico and the south-eastern coast of Florida).

The longnose legskate (Anacanthobatis longirostris) is a deep-water species known from the northern Gulf of Mexico, the Bahamas, and the northern Lesser Antilles.

The onefin skate (Gurgesiella dorsalifera) is confined to the coastal waters off south-eastern Brazil from Rio de Janeiro to Santa Catarina, where it is threatened by overfishing.

The West African pygmy skate (Neoraja africana) is known only from a few specimens collected on the continental slope off Gabon and Western Sahara.

The yellowmouth grouper (Mycteroperca interstitialis) is a naturally rare species found in shallow coastal waters from Cape Hatteras, North Carolina through the Caribbean to south-eastern Brazil. It is threatened by overfishing.

Poey’s grouper (Hyporthodus flavolimbatus) and the snowy grouper (H. niveatus) are both found widely within the continental and insular waters of the western Atlantic from the eastern United States and Bermuda to south-eastern South America, but are everywhere heavily exploited by fisheries.

Three groupers of the genus Epinephelus are also threatened by heavy fishing pressure. The striped grouper (E. striatus) is found widely but patchily in coral and rocky reefs along the south-eastern coast of the United States and Bermuda through the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean to northern South America. The Atlantic goliath grouper (E. itajara) is widespread within continental and insular waters on both sides of the Tropical Atlantic. The Calico grouper (E. drummondhayi) is found sporadically off Bermuda, the southern United States and south-western Mexico.

Basslets of the genus Liopropoma are small, grouper-like fish that live in deeper waters. The yellowbar basslet (L. robinsi) and the yellow basslet (L. flavescens) are both known only from two, widely separated localities within the western Atlantic (Glover’s Reef, Belize, and San Salvador Island in the Bahamas), but likely occurs more widely.

The Cubera snapper (Lutjanus cyanopterus) is found widely within the continental and insular waters of the western Atlantic from Canada and Bermuda to the eastern coast of South America. The red snapper (L. campechanus) occurs in coastal waters from the eastern United States to south-western Mexico. Both are commercially important species as well as sought-after game fish, and are additionally threatened by loss of their coral reef and mangrove habitat.

The vermillion snapper (Rhomboplites aurorubens) is found along the continental and insular shelves of the western Atlantic from the south-eastern United States and Bermuda, through the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean to southeastern Brazil (Santa Catarina). While widespread, it has been much reduced by overfishing and by-catch.

The Diassanga mullet (Liza bandialensis) is a relatively large and uncommon species confined to a small area of shallow, coastal West African waters (Senegal, Gambia, and Guinea-Bissau). It is threatened by overfishing and habitat degradation.

The Brazilian seabass (Acanthistius brasilianus) is a rare species confined to the coastal waters of southern Brazil.

The Campeche porgy (Calamus campechanus), an important food fish, is found patchily off the Yucatán Peninsula and the coastal waters of Nicaragua and possible Belize.

The dara (Parakuhlia macrophthalmus) is a rare type of grunt confined to the coastal waters of western Africa from Senegal to Angola.

The Cassava croaker (Pseudotolithus senegalensis) is found along the West African coast from Morocco to Namibia, including the Cape Verde Islands. It is threatened by overfishing.

The Gulf of Guinea seaperch (Anthias cyprinoides) is known only from a few specimens collected during the 1980s off Annobón Island in the Gulf of Guinea.

Ebeling’s bigscale (Melamphaes ebelingi) is a type of deepsea fish known only from a few specimens collected throughout the tropical Atlantic.

The Senegalese hake (Merluccius senegalensis) is a cod-like fish confined to the continental shelf of north-western Africa from Morocco to Senegal, where it is threatened by overfishing and by-catch.

The spiny turbot (Psettodes bennettii) is a large type of flatfish confined to the West African continental shelf from Western Sahara to Guinea.

The true sole (Heteromycteris proboscideus) is a small flatfish found along the coast of West Africa from Western Sahara south to Angola in both saltwater and freshwater habitats. It is threatened by bottom trawling and habitat degradation.

The Lusitanian sole (Dagetichthys lusitanica) is an important food fish found along continental and insular shelves from the Iberian Peninsula to Angola, including Cape Verde. It is threatened by trawling activities.

The African large-spotted scorpionfish (Scorpaenodes elongatus) is known only from a handful of specimens collected off the coast of Senegal. The African speckled scorpionfish (S. africanus) is known only from two disjunct localities along the western coast of Africa (Senegal and São Tomé in the Gulf of Guinea).

Folgor’s scorpionfish (Neomerinthe folgori) is known only from a few specimens collected along the western African coast off Mauritania, the Cape Verde Islands, and Namibia.

The Helena scorpionfish (Pontinus helena) is known only from a few specimens collected off the coast of Venezuela. The species may also occur in deep waters off Suriname and Guyana.

The island cowfish (Acanthostracion notacanthus) is a type of boxfish found very disjunctly across the Tropical eastern Atlantic in the shallow waters around the Azores, Saint Helena, Ascension, and São Tomé, as well as the coast of Ghana and Angola. The species has a high commercial value and is collected for the international aquarium trade.

The ocellated toadfish (Porichthys oculofrenum) is known only from two specimens collected off the coast of northern Brazil and Venezuela.

The greenback parrotfish (Scarus trispinosus) is confined to the coastal waters off northern and eastern Brazil. It is heavily fished outside of protected areas.

The blue-spotted triggerfish (Balistes punctatus) is found along the eastern Atlantic continental and insular shelves from Morocco to Angola, including Madeira, the Canary Islands, and Cape Verde. It has declined in many areas, particularly in the Gulf of Guinea, due to overfishing.

The Bermuda anchovy (Anchoa choerostoma) is confined to the shallow waters around Bermuda, where it appears to be declining due to overfishing.

The royal threadfin (Pentanemus quinquarius) is a commercially important food fish from the shallow coastal waters around Cape Verde and the West African coast from Mauritania to Angola. Harvesting is extensive and unregulated.

The bicoloured hamlet (Hypoplectrus maculiferus) is known only from reefs off Havana, Cuba, and Saint Barthélemy, but presumably ranges more widely.

The golden tilefish (Lopholatilus chamaeleonticeps) is found along the western coast of the United States and patchily in the Gulf of Mexico and the northern coast of South America. It is threatened by overfishing.

The yellowbar tilefish (Caulolatilus williamsi) is known only from four specimens collected from the Bahamas and Saint Croix in the Virgin Islands. The bankslope tilefish (C. dooleyi) is known only from three specimens collected from the Caicos Bank and the Bahamas.

The hogfish wrasse (Lachnolaimus maximus) is a popular food fish that occurs on continental and insular shelves from the south-eastern United States and Bermuda through the Caribbean south to the South American coast as far as northern Brazil. Although widespread, recreational spear and reef fishing has taken a heavy toll in many areas (particularly Florida).

The Guinea wrasse (Lappanella guineensis) is known only from relatively deep rocky reefs off the coast of Senegal and Guinea in West Africa.

The broadstripe cleaner goby (Elacatinus prochilos) is found patchily in shallow coral reefs within the southern Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean Sea. It is threatened by pollution and loss of habitat.

Graham’s goby (Gobioides grahamae) is known only from a few specimens collected in muddy areas along the northern South American coast (Guyana to northern Brazil).

The peppermint goby (Coryphopterus lipernes), bartail goby (C. thrix), sand-canyon goby (C. venezuelae), patch-reef goby (C. tortugae), barfin goby (C. alloides), pallid goby (C. eidolon), glass goby (C. hyalinus), and the masked goby (C. personatus) are all found widely along the continental and insular shelves of the tropical western Atlantic, but are everywhere threatened by loss of coral cover and invasive lionfish predation.

The lemon goby (Vomerogobius flavus) is a rare species known only from a handful of widely spaced localities in the Bahamas, Belize, and Honduras, where it favours steep coral reef drop-offs.

The Kuna goby (Coryphopterus kuna) is widely but patchily distributed in the coastal waters of western tropical Atlantic from Florida to Central America and northern South America, but is generally uncommon and highly susceptible to invasive lionfish predation.

The tenant sponge goby (Evermannichthys convictor) is known only from two disjunct localities (Green Cay, Bahamas and coastal northern Jamaica). The pugnose sponge goby (E. silus) is known only from a few specimens collected from off Samana Cay in the Bahamas, and from islands off the coast of Venezuela (Curaçao, Bonaire, and the Los Roques Archipelago).

The orangebelly goby (Varicus marilynae) is known only from two specimens collected from the western Atlantic (north-eastern Gulf of Mexico and eastern Florida). The whiteband goby (V. imswe) is similarly known only from two highly disjunct localities (Eleuthera in the Bahamas and Carrie Bow Cay, off the coast of Belize).

The Atlantic spectre goby (Akko dionaea) is known only from the mouth of the Amazon River, along with some larval forms recorded from off the coast of northern Colombia.

The twin-spotted frillfin goby (Bathygobius geminatus) is known only from two shallow water localities in the western Atlantic (eastern Florida and northern Puerto Rico).

The Senegal blenny (Malacoctenus africanus) is known for certain only from the shallow waters around the islands of Gorée and N’Gor off Senegal, although it may also occur along the West African coast.

Paiva’s blenny (Lupinoblennius paivai) is confined to tidal streams and mangroves along the coast of south-eastern Brazil from Bahia to Santa Catarina states. It has undergone significant declines in recent decades due to loss of habitat.

The dark-saddle blenny (Starksia sella) is confined to reefs off the island of Tobago.

Verrycken’s combtooth blenny (Parablennius verryckeni) is known only from three specimens collected during the 1950s from coastal north-eastern Angola.

The clandestine combtooth blenny (Spaniblennius clandestinus) is known only from a single specimen collected from Gorée Island off the coast of Senegal. Metzelaar’s combtooth blenny (S. riodourensis) is known only from a handful of specimens collected along the north-western coast of Africa between southern Western Sahara and northern Mauritania.

The Trindade combtooth blenny (Scartella poiti) is confined to the intertidal zone of Trindade island, off the coast of Brazil, where it is vulnerable to oil spills and other stochastic events.

The sand stargazer (Myxodagnus belone) is known only from a small number of specimens collected from two shallow water localities in the Bahamas and another in Puerto Rico.

The Congo worm-goby (Microdesmus africanus) is known only from two specimens collected from the Congo River estuary.

Vniro’s roughy (Hoplostethus vniro) is a type of deep-sea fish known only from a single specimen collected off the coast of the Republic of Congo.

Parker’s sea-catfish (Sciades parkeri) and the Passany seacatfish (S. passany) both occur in estuaries and the lower reaches of rivers along the northern coast of South America, where they are highly vulnerable to fishing pressure.

Two species of deep-sea anglerfish, the large-headed footballfish (Himantolophus macroceras) and the multibranched footballfish (H. multifurcatus), are each known only from a few specimens collected from the central Atlantic.

Hempel’s whalefish (Cetomimus hempeli) is known only from a handful of specimens collected from deep waters surrounding the Canary Islands and Madeira.

Maslowski’s codling (Physiculus maslowskii) is a deep-sea fish known from a few disjunct seamount localities along the western coast of Africa. The small-bearded codling (P. microbarbata) is known only from deep waters off the coast of Guinea and Guinea-Bissau.

The pricklefish (Abyssoberyx levisquamosus) is known only from a few specimens collected from deep waters off northwestern Africa.

The network slickhead (Bajacalifornia arcylepis) is a type of deep-sea smelt known for certain only from two records in the tropical Atlantic and possibly one from the north-western Indian Ocean.

The lined seahorse (Hippocampus erectus) is widespread within shallow continental and insular shelves of the western Atlantic from Nova Scotia to south-eastern Brazil, with a disjunct population in the Azores. The West African seahorse (H. algiricus) occurs along the continental and insular shelves of western Africa from Senegal to Angola. Both are threatened by trawl fisheries by-catch, habitat destruction and collection for the international aquarium trade, curios, and for ‘traditional medicine’.

Makax’s pipefish (Syngnathus makaxi) is confined to shallow seagrass habitats off the Yucatán Peninsula in southeastern Mexico. The pearl pipefish (S. dawsoni) is known only from shallow waters off Puerto Rico and in the Lesser Antilles. The smalljaw pipefish (Micrognathus erugatus) is known only from a single specimen collected during the 1970s from the eastern coast of Brazil (Bahia).

The deepwater pipefish (Cosmocampus profundus) is known only from a few specimens collected over a wide area of the western Atlantic, including off the south-eastern United States, the Virgin Islands, the Yucatán Peninsula, and possibly Curaçao. The back-finned pipefish (C. retropinnis) is known only from a few specimens collected in the coastal waters of West Africa and the Canary Islands.

The spreading barbelled dragonfish (Eustomias patulus) is known only from two records (off Puerto Rico and between the Canary and Cape Verde Islands).

The Saint Lucia sand lance (Protammodytes sarisa) is an eel-like fish known only from a single locality off Saint Lucia.

Opic’s eel (Hemerorhinus opici) is known only from three specimens collected from the coastal waters of Ghana, Senegal, and Republic of Congo.

Karmovskaya’s eel (Promyllantor atlanticus) is a deepwater species known only from the coast of the Republic of Congo.

Drach’s conger eel (Uroconger drachi) is known only from a single specimen collected in the 1970s from deep waters off the coast of the Republic of Congo.

The ridgefin eel (Callechelys springeri) is known only from four specimens collected in the 1940s and 1960s from off the south-eastern coast of the United States.

The red eel (Myroconger compressus) is known only from a few specimens collected from the West African coast, Cape Verde Islands, and Saint Helena.

The Guinea snake-eel (Xyrias guineensis) is a deep-water species known only from a few specimens collected from deep waters off the coast of West Africa.

The ornate snake-eel (Herpetoichthys regius) is only known from a few localities in the Tropical Atlantic (coastal Mauritania, Saint Helena, Ascension Island, and Saint Paul’s Rocks).

The West African snake-eel (Dalophis obtusirostris) is known only from two specimens collected from estuaries in Senegal and Mauritania in 1972. The Saloum snake-eel (D. multidentatus) is known only from a single specimen collected in 1964 from off the mouth of the Saloum River in Senegal.

The Sierra Leone snake-eel (Ophichthus leonensis) is a deep-water species known only from a single specimen found in the stomach of a fish taken off Sierra Leone in 1975.

The emaciated worm-eel (Asarcenchelys longimanus) is known only from two specimens collected off the northeastern coast of Brazil.

Jespersen’s one-jawed eel (Monognathus jesperseni) is known only from a single specimen collected during the 1930s from deep waters off the coast of Sierra Leone. Nigel’s one-jawed eel (M. nigeli) is known only from a few specimens collected from deep waters of the central Atlantic.

The gracile finless eel (Apterichtus gracilis) is known only from a few specimens collected off the coast of Sierra Leone and Guinea.

The naked cusk-eel (Porogadus nudus) is known only from a few specimens collected from deep waters off Mauritania and Cape Verde. The abyssal cusk-eel (P. abyssalis) is known only from a specimen collected from near the Romanche Trench in the central Atlantic and two others off north-eastern Brazil.

Rass’ blind cusk-eel (Aphyonus rassi) is known only from two specimens collected north of the Cape Verde Islands, and another from the eastern Caribbean Sea.

Jonasson’s blind cusk-eel (Sciadonus jonassoni) is a naturally rare species known from the Caribbean Sea off the coast of Venezuela and from the eastern Atlantic south of Cape Verde.

The Bahama Banks

The Bahama Banks are the submerged carbonate platforms that make up much of the Bahama Archipelago. The two largest are the Great Bahama Bank underlying Andros Island and the Little Bahama Bank underlying Grand Bahama Island and Little Abaco.

The Bahamian sawshark (Pristiophorus schroederi) is a deepwater species known only from a few specimens collected from the slope of the Cay Sal Bank and Northern Bahamas slope.

The Bahamian ghost shark (Chimaera bahamaensis) is known only from a single specimen collected from deep waters east of Andros Island, in the Bahamas.

The Exuma cleaner goby (Elacatinus atronasus) is confined to a single coral reef within Exuma Sound.

The dwarf clingfish (Derilissus nanus) is known only from a few deep-water localities in the Bahama Banks, including the Plana Cays, Great Inagua, and Acklins Island.

The tailspot clingfish (Derilissus lombardii) is known only from two specimens, the first collected from a deep coral wall off Lee Stocking Island in the Bahamas and a second photographed off Grand Cayman.

The sailfinned stargazer (Platygillellus smithi) is a blennylike fish known only from a single specimen collected from Little Inagua Island in the Bahamas.

The Bahamian false moray eel (Catesbya pseudomuraena) is known only from a few specimens collected at two shallow reef localities in the Bahamas.

The Cay Sal Bank

The Cay Sal Bank is located off the north-central coast of Cuba.

The barred sea robin (Prionotus murielae) is known only from a single specimen collected from the Cal Say Bank.

The Cape Verde Rise

The Cape Verde Rise is an oceanic feature that includes the Cape Verde Islands and other islands west of the African continental shelf. Coastal fishing within this area is overexploited.

The Cape Verde skate (Raja herwigi) is apparently confined to the shelf off Boa Vista and São Vicente islands.

The Cape Verde sandperch (Parapercis atlantica) is known only from a few specimens collected in shallow waters within the Cape Verde Islands.

The Verdean nibbler (Girella zonata) is a perch-like fish known only from a few shallow water localities within the Cape Verde Islands.

The Cape Verde goby (Gobius tetrophthalmus) is confined to a few shallow-water localities within the Cape Verde Islands.

The barbel clingfish (Apletodon barbatus) is a type of goby confined to shallow waters within the Cape Verde Islands.

The Cape Verde barbelled dragonfish (Eustomias insularum) is known only from deep waters of the Cape Verde Rise.

Taning’s one-jawed eel (Monognathus taningi) is known only from two specimens collected during the 1930s from deep waters of the Cape Verde Rise.

The Cape Verde cusk-eel (Porogadus subarmatus) is known only from a few specimens collected from deep waters of the Cape Verde Rise.

The Cape Verde assfish (Bassozetus oncerocephalus) is a type of cusk-eel known only from a single specimen collected in deep waters of the Cape Verde Rise.

Saint Peter and Paul Rocks

The Saint Peter and Paul Rocks are a group of small islets located just north of the Equator off the north-eastern coast of Brazil. While actually part of the North Atlantic Ridge they lie well within the Tropical Atlantic Region.

The oblique butterflyfish (Prognathodes obliquus) is known only from Saint Paul Rocks.

Smith’s triplefin blenny (Enneanectes smithi) is known only from Saint Paul Rocks.

The South Atlantic Ridge

The South Atlantic Ridge is the southern part of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, which runs along the floor of the Atlantic Ocean through both the northern and southern hemispheres. It includes the isolated volcanic islands of Ascension, Saint Helena, and Tristan da Cunha.

The Ascension seaperch (Holanthias caudalis) is known only from two specimens collected during the 1970s from the waters around Ascension Island.

The Ascension scorpionfish (Scorpaena ascensionis) is known only from a few specimens collected in the waters around Ascension Island.

The South Atlantic sharpnose puffer (Canthigaster sanctaehelenae) is known only from the shallow waters around Saint Helena and Ascension.

Lubbock’s tonguefish (Symphurus lubbocki) is a type of flatfish known only from two specimens collected off Ascension Island.

The Ascension wrasse (Thalassoma ascensionis) is confined to shallow waters off Ascension Island.

Earnshaw’s hawkfish (Amblycirrhitus earnshawi) is confined to shallow waters off Ascension Island.

The elongated searsid (Barbantus elongatus) is a type of smelt confined to the deep waters of the South Atlantic Ridge.

The South Atlantic reef goby (Priolepis ascensionis) is known only from the shallow waters around Saint Helena and Ascension.

The Ascension combtooth blenny (Scartella nuchifilis) is confined to rock pools within the tidal zone of Ascension Island.

The Ascension sand-eel (Ichthyapus insularis) is confined to the shoreline of Ascension Island.

The Saint Helena Seamount Chain

The Saint Helena Seamount Chain, also known as the Saint Helena Seamounts, is located on the South Atlantic Ridge in the South Atlantic Ocean. Its highest point is the island of Saint Helena.

The Saint Helena seaperch (Anthias helenensis) is known only from eight specimens collected from the Saint Helena Seamount Chain.

Günther’s seaperch (Holanthias fronticinctus) is confined to deep reefs off Saint Helena.

Melliss’ scorpionfish (Scorpaena mellissii) is confined to a few shallow water localities around Saint Helena.

The Saint Helena wrasse (Thalassoma sanctaehelenae) is known only from the waters around Saint Helena.

The Saint Helena deepwater flounder (Monolene helenensis) is known only from few specimens collected north of Saint Helena.

The reticulated tonguefish (Symphurus reticulatus) is a type of flatfish known only from a few specimens collected in shallow waters off Saint Helena.

Hubbs’ bigscale (Melamphaes hubbsi) is known only from deep waters near Saint Helena.

The Saint Helena dragonet (Callionymus sanctaehelenae) is confined to the waters around Saint Helena.

The Saint Helena codling (Physiculus helenaensis) is confined to the waters around Saint Helena.

The silver conger eel (Ariosoma mellissii) is known only from a few specimens collected from the waters around Saint Helena.

The Gulf of Mexico

The Gulf of Mexico (Golfo de México in Spanish) is an ocean basin and marginal sea of the western tropical Atlantic. Largely surrounded by the North American continent, it is bounded on the north by the Gulf Coast of the United States, on the south-west and south by Mexico, and on the south-east by Cuba. The Deepwater Horizon oil spill of 2010 is thought to have had a devastating ongoing effect upon the region.

Rice’s whale (Balaenoptera ricei), one of the most endangered cetaceans in the world, is entirely confined to the northeastern Gulf of Mexico where, in 2021, the total population was estimated at just 33. The reasons for its decline are unknown but are thought to be due to various anthropogenic factors.

The Gulf of Mexico smoothhound (Mustelus sinusmexicanus) is a type of houndshark confined to two disjunct areas in the northern and southern Gulf of Mexico.

The leafnose legskate (Anacanthobatis folirostris) is confined to a small area of steep upper continental slope in the northern Gulf of Mexico.

The Gulf sturgeon (Acipenser oxyrinchus desotoi) occurs sporadically in the Gulf of Mexico and in most of the major river systems between the Mississippi and Suwannee rivers in the southern United States. Heavy fishing pressure and the construction of dams, sills, and other water control structures during the twentieth century (which severely restricted its inland migrations) resulted in declines from which it has yet to recover.

The Jarocho hamlet (Hypoplectrus atlahua) is only known from two specimens collected by fishermen along the southeastern coast of Mexico (Veracruz). The Contoy hamlet (H. ecosur) is known only from two localities off the south-eastern coast of Mexico (Contoy Island and Madagascar Reef in the Campeche Banks). Castro-Aguirre’s hamlet (H. castroaguirrei) is known only from a single small reef system off southeastern Mexico (Veracruz). All are threatened by loss of their coral reef habitat.

The Cuban longfin herring (Neoopisthopterus cubanus) is confined to a small area off the north-western coast of Cuba, where it is threatened by pollution from the city of Havana.

The reticulated toadfish (Sanopus reticulatus) is known only from a few specimens collected from shallow waters off the northern coast of the Yucatán Peninsula.

The salt marsh topminnow (Fundulus jenkinsi) is confined to the shallow coastal waters and wetlands of the southern United States from Texas to north-western Florida. It is threatened mainly by habitat destruction and degradation.

The Mardi Gras wrasse (Halichoeres burekae) is known only from three widely spaced coral reef localities in the Gulf of Mexico, where it is vulnerable to pollution and predation by invasive lionfish (Pterois volitans).

Silversides (Menidia) are small freshwater and marine fish. The golden silverside (M. colei) is confined to a small number of brackish lagoons along the northern coast of the Yucatán Peninsula in south-eastern Mexico. The Texas silverside (M. clarkhubbsi) is known only from a small area of ponds, shallow bays, and estuaries on the southern coast of Texas. The Key silverside (M. conchorum) is found patchily within the Florida Keys, where it lives in brackish tidal lagoons that shift their locations year to year. All are threatened by coastal development and pollution.

The Cinta goby (Tigrigobius redimiculus) is known only from patch reefs in the proximity of south-eastern Mexico (Veracruz) and Isla Lobos, in the south-western Gulf of Mexico.

The Mexican goby (Ctenogobius claytonii) is found patchily in streams and estuaries along the south-western Gulf of Mexico, where it is threatened by pollution, water diversion, and loss of habitat.

The Jarocho cleaner goby (Elacatinus jarocho) is known only from the Tuxpan-Lobos and Veracruz reef systems in the south-western Gulf of Mexico.

The Yucatán killifish (Fundulus persimilis) and the giant killifish (F. grandissimus) are both confined to brackish and shallow coastal localities along the north-western Yucatán Peninsula.

Bullis’ barracudina (Stemonosudis bullisi) is known only from a single specimen collected from deep waters in the north-eastern Gulf of Mexico.

The Gulf of Mexico hagfish (Eptatretus minor) is an eellike species confined to the northern Gulf of Mexico, where it is potentially threatened by shrimp and scallop trawling.

The irksone snake-eel (Gordiichthys ergodes) is known only from a few specimens collected in the Gulf of Mexico.

The Campeche Bank

The Campeche Bank is located off the northern coast of the Yucatán Peninsula, in the southern Gulf of Mexico.

The Campeche catshark (Parmaturus campechiensis) is known only from a single specimen collected from deep waters in the Bay of Campeche.

The deepwater goby (Chriolepis benthonis) is known only from a single specimen collected from deep waters in the Bay of Campeche.

The Caribbean Sea

The Caribbean Sea (Mar Caribe in Spanish/Mer des Caraïbes in French/Caraïbische Zee in Dutch) is located in the western tropical Atlantic. It is bounded by Mexico and Central America to the west and south-west, by the Greater Antilles to the north, the Lesser Antilles to the east, and by the northern coast of South America to the south. It is one of the largest seas in the world, with many gulfs and bays along its extensive coastlines. Its deepest point is the Cayman Trough, located between the Cayman Islands and Jamaica, at 7686 m.

The longfin sawtail catshark (Galeus cadenati) is a rare species known only from the Caribbean coasts of Panama andColombia.

Carter’s lanternshark (Etmopterus carteri) is a small, deepwater species known only from specimens collected off the coast of Colombia and Honduras. The dwarf lanternshark (E. perryi), the world’s smallest shark, is similarly confined to the continental shelf of Colombia and Venezuela. Both are potentially threatened by trawling activity.

The Venezuelan dwarf smoothhound (Mustelus minicanis) is a type of shark known only from a small number of specimens collected from the continental shelf of Colombia and Venezuela.

The Colombian electric ray (Diplobatis colombiensis) is confined to the coastal waters of northern Colombia.

The brownband electric ray (D. guamachensis) is found patchily in coastal areas of northern Colombia, Venezuela, and Trinidad and Tobago. Both are threatened by trawling activity.

The yellow-spotted basslet (Liopropoma olneyi) and the spot-tail basslet (L. santi) are both known only from a small number of specimens collected around Curaçao in the southern Caribbean Sea.

The golden basslet (Gramma dejongi) is known only from a few specimens collected from coral reefs off south-western Cuba and Little Cayman Island.

The Margarita mullet (Mugil margaritae) is known only from a small number of specimens collected from two widely spaced localities off the coast of Venezuela.

The grey-red parrotfish (Sparisoma griseorubrum) is known only from a small area off the northern coast of Venezuela.

The Martinique picarel (Spicara martinicus) is a type of ray-finned fish known only from a single specimen collected in the waters off Martinique during the early nineteenth century.

The Venezuelan herring (Jenkinsia parvula) is known only from a few specimens collected off the coast of Venezuela.

The Atlantic sand flounder (Etropus delsmani) is only known from a few specimens collected off the northern coast of Venezuela.

The plaincheek pufferfish (Sphoeroides georgemilleri) is known only from a few specimens collected off the coast of north-western Colombia.

The Plateada silverside (Membras argentea) is known only from three specimens collected during the 1940s from a single locality off northern Colombia. Backwater’s silverside (M. analis) is known only from three localities along the northern coast of South America (Lake Maracaibo and Santa Margarita Islands, Venezuela, and off the La Guajira Peninsula of Colombia). Both are threatened by coastal development.

The Panama croaker (Ophioscion panamensis) is known for certain only from the area of the Panama Canal.

Bean’s silverside (Atherinella beani) is known only from a few specimens collected from estuaries in coastal Nicaragua and Panama.

Boehlke’s goby (Psilotris boehlkei) is known only from coral reefs off Saint Croix and Saint Barthélemy, and from the Saba Bank Atoll.

The Grand Cayman greenbanded goby (Tigrigobius harveyi) is known only from shallow coral reefs off Grand Cayman Island.

Hildebrand’s goby (Gobiosoma hildebrandi) is confined to the Caribbean coast of Panama, where it lives in both brackish and freshwater habitats. A few have also migrated through the Panama Canal to its mouth at the Pacific coast. It is threatened by loss of habitat.

The blunt-snout goby (Psilotris amblyrhynchus) is known only from a few specimens collected in coastal Belize and Honduras.

The isthmian goby (Gobiosoma spilotum) is known for certain only from a few specimens collected at the entrance to the Panama Canal, where it is threatened by habitat destruction.

Three cleaner gobies of the genus Elacatinus are threatened by coastal development, coral loss, and invasive lionfish. The Grand Cayman cleaner goby (E. cayman) is known only from the shallow waters off the island of Grand Cayman. The redcheek cleaner goby (E. rubrigenis) is known only from two localities in the western Caribbean (Carrie Bow Cay in Belize and Útila Island, Honduras). The Cayman cleaner goby (E. centralis) is confined to the shallow waters of the Cayman Islands.

The bicoloured sponge goby (Evermannichthys bicolor) is known only from five specimens collected off Jamaica, Navassa, and western Haiti.

The blind worm-goby (Microdesmus luscus) is known only from a few specimens collected from three, widely separated, shallow coral reefs (Dominica, Puerto Rico, and Panama).

The reticulated clingfish (Tomicodon lavettsmithi) is known only from shallow intertidal waters surrounding Pelican Cays and Twin Cays, on the coast of Belize.

The red-striped clingfish (Derilissus vittiger) is known only from a single specimen collected off Tortuga Island, Venezuela.

The thornbush blenny (Acanthemblemaria harpeza) is known only from two widely spaced localities (Navassa Island and St. Kitt’s). The dwarf spinyhead blenny (A. paula) is known only from three widely spaced localities (coastal Belize and Honduras, and New Providence in the Bahamas).

The hornless blenny (Emblemariopsis randalli) is known only from shallow waters off Cubagua Island, Venezuela. The Arawak glass blenny (E. arawak) is known for certain only from coral reefs off Puerto Rico and St. Thomas in the Virgin Islands, but may be more widespread.

The ridge blenny (Emblemaria culmenis) is known only from a single specimen collected off Aruba during the late twentieth century. The filament blenny (E. hyltoni) is known only from its original collection during the 1970s off Roatan Island, Honduras.

The four-fin blenny (Haptoclinus dropi) is known only from a single specimen collected from a deep-sea reef off Curaçao.

Springer’s blenny (Starksia springeri) is known only from four shallow reef localities in the southern Caribbean (Curaçao, Bonaire, Isla de Aves, and Isla los Roques). The variable blenny (S. variabilis) is known only from two specimens collected from highly disjunct localities (San Blas Islands, Panama, and coastal northern Colombia). The white-saddle blenny (S. leucovitta) is confined to shallow reefs around Navassa Island in the northern Caribbean. All are threatened mainly by invasive lionfish predation.

The windward triplefin blenny (Enneanectes wilki) is known only from a dozen specimens collected from the southern Lesser Antilles.

Stephen’s pike-blenny (Chaenopsis stephensi) is known for certain only from a single specimen collected from a coral reef off Cubagua Island, Venezuela. The Colombian pike-blenny (C. megalops) is known only from two specimens collected off the northern coast of Colombia.

The black-nosed brotula (Parasaccogaster melanomycter) is known only from a single specimen collected from a coral off the coast of northern Colombia.

McCosker’s coral brotula (Ogilbia mccoskeri) is known only from a few coral reef localities in coastal Panama, including the San Blas Islands.

Four cryptic and little-known coral brotulas of the genus Ogilbichthys are potentially threatened by loss of coral habitat and predation by invasive lionfish. The Haitian coral brotula (O. haitiensis) is known only from two specimens collected in the Gulf of Gonâve, western Haiti. The Tobago coral brotula (O. tobagoensis) is known only from coral and rocky reefs off Tobago, in the southern Caribbean. The Puerto Rican coral brotula (O. puertoricoensis) is known only from two disjunct localities (Mona Island off Puerto Rico and Providence Island off the eastern coast of Nicaragua). The ferocious coral brotula (O. ferocis) is known from the Cocos-Banderas Cays and Morbeptopo Reef in the San Blas Archipelago, Panama, and Isla Grande, off the north-western coast of Colombia).

The San Blas coral brotula (Pseudogilbia sanblasensis) is known only from Chiriquí Lagoon and Morbeptopo Reef on the Caribbean coast of Panama.

The sand stargazer (Dactylagnus peratikos) is known only from two localities on the coast of Costa Rica and Panama.

The flagfin stargazer (Gillellus inescatus) is known only from a single specimen collected off Navassa Island.

Bonilla’s sea-catfish (Notarius bonillai) and the sculptured sea-catfish (N. neogranatensis) are both confined to estuaries and mangroves along the north-western coast of Colombia, where they are threatened by loss of habitat.

Dawson’s pipefish (Minyichthys inusitatus) is known only from a single juvenile collected in relatively deep waters off the coast of Panama. A second specimen collected off of northern Argentina likely represents a different species.

The Colombian hagfish (Eptatretus ancon) is an eel-like species known only from a single specimen collected off the coast of northern Colombia.

The Guajira hagfish (Paramyxine wayuu) is known only from two specimens collected off the north-western coast of Colombia.

The unexpected snake-eel (Bascanichthys inopinatus) is known only from three specimens collected from two localities off Puerto Rico in the 1960s and 1970s.

Lake Maracaibo

Lake Maracaibo (Lago de Maracaibo in Spanish) is a large, brackish tidal basin located in northern Venezuela.

Blackburn’s anchovy (Anchoviella blackburni) is known for certain only from Lake Maracaibo and adjacent coastal areas.

The Maracaibo pencil catfish (Tridensimilis venezuelae) is confined to the Lake Maracaibo basin.

The blue-eye panaque (Panaque suttonorum) is a freshwater fish confined to the lake’s tributaries.

The Mesoamerican Barrier Reef

The Mesoamerican Barrier Reef, also known as the Great Mayan Reef, is the world’s second biggest after the Great Barrier Reef. It runs some 1000 km along the coasts and islands of south-eastern Mexico, Belize, Guatemala, and Honduras.

The Mayan hamlet (Hypoplectrus maya) is confined to a small area of the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef off the coast of Belize.

Four toadfish of the genus Sanopus endemic to the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef are threatened by coral reef loss and overfishing. Johnson’s toadfish (S. johnsoni) is known only from a single specimen collected during the 1970s from Palancar Reef off Cozumel, eastern Mexico. The white-spotted toadfish (S. astrifer) is known only from a handful of specimens collected from the outer oceanic atolls of coastal Belize. The white-lined toadfish (S. greenfieldorum) is known only from the barrier reef between Carrie Bow Cay and South Water Cay in coastal Belize. The splendid toadfish (S. splendidus) is known only from a small number of specimens collected from two disjunct localities (Cozumel in Mexico and Glover’s Reef in Belize).

Glover’s reef toadfish (Vladichthys gloverensis) is confined to the barrier reef and atolls of Belize and the Bay Islands of Honduras.

The social wrasse (Halichoeres socialis) is known only from a few mangrove islands within the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef of Belize, where it is threatened by coastal development.

Lobel’s cleaner goby (Elacatinus lobeli) is confined to the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef of south-eastern Mexico (Quintana Roo), Belize, and the Bay Islands of Honduras.

The coral clingfish (Tomicodon clarkei) is known only from a single specimen collected from a shallow, dead coral reef off Carrie Bow Cay, Belize.

The orangeflag blenny (Emblemariopsis dianae) is known only from Pelican Cays off the coast of Belize. The seafan blenny (E. pricei) is confined to coastal Belize and Honduras (including Roatán Island). Both are threatened by coral reef loss and degradation.

Arrowsmith Bank

Arrowsmith Bank is a wholly submerged bank located off the north-eastern tip of the Yucatán Peninsula, Mexico.

Robin’s goby (Robinsichthys arrowsmithensis) is known only from a few specimens collected from the Arrowsmith Bank.

The whiskereye clingfish (Derilissus kremnobates) is known only from Arrowsmith Bank.

The uncombed blenny (Haptoclinus apectolophus) is known only from Arrowsmith Bank.

The Gulf of Guinea

The Gulf of Guinea is located in the eastern tropical Atlantic on the western coast of Africa, extending from Cape Palmas in Liberia south to Cape Lopez in Gabon. The Niger and the Volta are just two of the many rivers that empty into the Gulf of Guinea, which is dotted with a number of volcanic islands.

The smalltooth stingray (Hypanus rudis) is known only from a single stuffed specimen collected during the nineteenth century off the coast of Nigeria, which has since been lost.

The Gulf of Guinea snapper (Lutjanus endecacanthus) is known only from a few specimens collected during the nineteenth century.

The Annobón scorpionfish (Scorpaena annobonae) is known only from a single specimen collected off Annobón in the Gulf of Guinea in 1969.

Carpenter’s yellowtop jewelfish (Meganthias carpenteri) is known only from two specimens obtained from a fish market in Nigeria.

The Gulf of Guinea manefish (Paracaristius nudarcus) is known only from a single locality in the Gulf of Guinea.

The Guinean flounder (Bothus guibei) is known only from a few specimens collected from shallow waters off the islands of Annobón and São Tomé.

The African Creole wrasse (Clepticus africanus) is known only from the coastal waters of São Tomé in the Gulf of Guinea.

The Gulf of Guinea goby (Didogobius amicuscaridis) is known only from São Tomé and Príncipe in the Gulf of Guinea.

Stevcic’s goby (Gorogobius stevcici) is known only from the coastal waters of São Tomé in the Gulf of Guinea.

Lubbock’s goby (Corcyrogobius lubbocki) is found patchily in the shallow waters of the Gulf of Guinea, where it is threatened by coastal development.

Burton’s frillfin goby (Bathygobius burtoni) is found patchily in rocky intertidal pools in the Gulf of Guinea, where it is threatened by coastal development.

The Gulf of Guinea combtooth blenny (Bathyblennius antholops) is known only from a single specimen collected off the coast of Nigeria.

Bauchot’s combtooth blenny (Microlipophrys bauchotae) is known only from a few specimens collected on the coast of Cameroon and the island of Bioko in the Gulf of Guinea.

The Gulf of Guinea barbelled dragonfish (Eustomias monoclonoides) is a deep-water species known only from a small area of the Gulf of Guinea.

 

Anthropogenic effects on the fauna

Within the Tropical Atlantic Region there is currently 1 species of marine fish possibly extinct. In addition, there are 278 species/2 subspecies currently threatened with extinction (that is to say, either Critically Endangered, Endangered, or Vulnerable according to the IUCN Red List, as well as certain forms either listed as Data Deficient or Not Assessed but which are clearly at some risk of extinction). Of these, 4 species are mammals and 274 species/2 subspecies are marine fish.