What Are Umbrella Fish? by Don Orth

“What's an umbrella fish?” a young student asked me.  Stumped, I replied “Never heard of one.”  The question bugged me until a library search confirmed there was no “umbrella fish.”  However, in conservation biology the term ‘umbrella’ species is one of several buzzwords used for surrogate species. Surrogate species may indicate biological diversity or environmental change or simply connect in the public’s imagination regarding habitat protection. Surrogate buzzwords include focal species, indicator species, keystone species, umbrella species, target species, foundation species, flagship species, and ecological engineer species (Caro 2010).   Even if the terms are loosely used, the species-centered conservation approaches can promote public awareness and raise funds for conservation. If it works, use it. 

Flagship species are primarily intended to promote public awareness and to raise funds for conservation. While flagship species are selected for their marketing value, umbrella species are selected based on ecological criteria and are expected to benefit a wide range of co-occurring species (Caro 2010; Kalinkat et al. 2017). Is it possible to select flagship umbrellas to describe species that explicitly integrate both functions?  Perhaps. The classic giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) is a popular charismatic species used since the 1960s by World Wildlife Fund for Nature for fundraising as well as it benefits for co-occurring endemic species.  

Recently, Kalinkat et al. (2017) identified over 60 potential freshwater flagship umbrella species.  So, there could be an umbrella fish. The next phase must be to implement and evaluate conservation strategies based on the flagship umbrella species approach.  Do the flagship umbrella species attract public attention and funding for conservation?  Is the diversity of co-occurring communities protected? We don’t know.

Emmanuel Frimpong (2018) argues that our lack of knowledge perpetuates ineffectual conservation practices in tropical Afrotropical freshwater fishes. We need to understand which fishes are rare and which are common and how the species may interact in aquatic ecosystems. His experiences, studying Nocomis breeding and nest associates, confirmed that seven species of cyprinids may breed on Nocomis nests. Therefore, Nocomis may be an umbrella species, but conservation action may take time.  His story emphasizes to us all that understanding the ecology and natural history of individual species is essential to adopting the language of flagship umbrella species.  That is one thing holding us back in fish conservation efforts. Frimpong (2018) then asks “Can we protect these rare species without protecting the common species that function as their hosts?”  Probably not!

A Bluehead Chub Nocomis leptocephalus guards his breeding mound in Toms Creek, Virginia.  Photo by Emmanuel Frimpong. 

We have yet to see if the flagship umbrella species approach develops and spurs effective conservation programs.  However, the concept of an umbrella is an important one. However, the multiple individual values and motivations around fish conservation should be embraced within a large, inclusive umbrella community of conservationists.  Here I review a few of these potential umbrella fish. Remember, while umbrella species may not exist for all systems, they may be effective in some.  Therefore, the concept is important to consider further to promote conservation action.

The Humphead Wrasse Cheilinus undulatus (also known as the Napoleon Wrasse) shares habitat with a diverse community in coral reefs. The species has a broad geographic distribution in the Indo-Pacific Ocean, a region with tremendous coral reef biodiversity. Like most wrasses (Labridae), the Humphead Wrasse is a protogynous hermaphrodite, meaning they will start life as females and may transition to males. As a large, conspicuous coral reef fish that is severely overfished, it fits the criteria for a flagfish species.  Most tropical marine protected areas (MPA) are too small to effectively protect the Humphead Wrasse and a significant scaling up of MPA is required (Weng et al 2015).  Protecting the Humphead Wrasse would protect many co-occurring species with shared habitat requirements.  Therefore, it may be both a flagship and an umbrella species.

Humphead Wrasse.  Photo by Paolo Macorig.  

Asian Arowana Scleropages formosus (Müller & Schlegel, 1844) is also known as the Golden Dragonfish or Golden Arowana. These fish are so highly valued by the aquarium trade that they are seldom eaten. Yet, the native swamps and sluggish rivers in southeast Asia are highly altered and the entire aquatic ecosystem and its services are at risk.  This recognizable and charismatic fish may be an appropriate flagship umbrella species.

Asian Arowana. Photo by Marcel Bulkhead. 

The largest salmonid in the world is the highly migratory Taimen or Huchen Hucho hucho.  The Taiman, known to locals as the “river god’s daughter,” may reach up to six feet and weigh up to 200 pounds.  Overfishing and habitat change reduced populations that once thrived throughout Mongolia and Siberia (Geist et al. 2009).   Since sport anglers value the large, unique fish, the Taimen is the target species in creating a large catch-and-release fishing reserve.  Read more here.

The Arapaima is one of the largest freshwater fishes and can reach 8 feet in length.  However, throughout it range in Brazil and Guyana it seldom reaches that large size anymore due to overfishing. One of the most heavily exploited fishes in South America, even today, scientists are not certain how many species of Arapaima exist (Stewart 2013a, 2013b; Watson et al. 2016).  While it fits some requirements for a flagship species, whether it’s an umbrella species will require more studies. 

Arapaima sp.  Photo by J-subculture.com 

The Mekong river and delta regions support a highly diverse ecosystem, which is heavily dammed.  Biodiversity of the Mekong basin is second only to the Amazon basin.  New fish species are described from the Mekong regularly and no other river has so many species of very large fishes. These include giant freshwater stingray Himantura polylepis, several giant barbs (Catlocarpio saimensis and Probarbus spp), and giant catfishes.  Two catfishes, the Mekong Giant Catfish (Pangasianodon gigas) and the Striped Catfish (Pangasianodon hypophthalmus) are candidate flagship umbrella species (So et al. 2006). Fish make up ½ to 2/3^rd of the diet of rural people of the Mekong and 2/3^rd of the people are engaged in wild capture fisheries so conservation of these areas is critically important.    

Mekong Giant Catfish (left) and  striped catfish Planet Catfish (right) 

Mahseer (Tor spp; Cypriniformes: Cyprinidae) are large-bodied, migratory freshwater fishes that are endemic to the monsoonal rivers of Asia. They are flagship species because of their economic, recreational and conservation interests.  Six of eighteen species of Tor are endangered, while others are threatened or data deficient (Pinder et al. 2015). Mahseers are referred to as “kings of aquatic systems” and are the primary targets of recreational anglers.  Fishing guides and recreational anglers have a stake in the protection of the catchments that support populations of Mahseer (Bower et al. 2017), yet the value of Mahseers as umbrella species has not been assessed.

Dekkan Masheer Tor khudree  Photo by J. F. Helias 

In North America, sturgeons (Acipenseridae), American Eel, Pacific salmonids, and Brook Trout are potential flagship umbrella species.   Brook trout Salvelinus fontinalis are well studied and a variety of conservation planning tools have been developed.  Many tools designed to characterize the continuum of viability, habitat condition, and vulnerability of Brook Trout populations may also protect a wide variety of co-occurring species.   

Sturgeons and Paddlefish in North America are possible flagship umbrella species.  In 2012, the North American Sturgeon and Paddlefish Society formed to focus on “current declines in sturgeon and paddlefish populations across North America, NASPS is dedicated to promoting the conservation and restoration of these species by developing and advancing research pertaining to their biology, management, and utilization.”   There are many threats that are specific to individual species of sturgeon. While study methods are improving, conservation efforts are playing a game of catch up. Perhaps a flagship umbrella species approach can help protect essential riverine habitats for hackelbacks.    

Although the status of American Eel is unclear, but one thing is clear.  American Eels may be hindered from reaching up to 84% of upstream habitats, thereby fragmenting the single, panmictic population.  Efforts to restore connectivity may benefit a large number of co-occurring fishes.

Four species of cyprinids that are nest associates with Bluehead Chub nests.  Photo by Derek Wheaton. 

We have a difficult challenge in conserving the fishes and their habitats.  Pluralism is the rule in conservation in general and fish conservation in particular. Many approaches, many values, and many types of people must be engaged in the process (Cooke et al. 2013).  Green et al. (2015) advocated for creating a much larger community that is strengthened, rather than factionalized, by pluralistic viewpoints.  Local and large-scale activities are important to our conservation efforts.  If the concept of flagship umbrella species can assist in making conservation more effective, then we should pursue the idea vigorously.

References

Bower, S.D., A.J. Danylchuk, R. Raghavan, S. C. Danylchuk, A.C. Pinder, A.M. Alter, and S. J. Cooke. 2017.  Involving recreational fisheries stakeholders in development of research and conservation priorities for mahseer (Tor spp.) of India through collaborative workshops.  Fisheries Research 186:665-671.

Caro, T. 2010. Conservation by proxy: Indicator, umbrella, keystone, flagship, and other surrogate species.  Island Press. 

Cooke, S. J. et al. 2013. Failure to engage the public in issues related to inland fishes and fisheries: strategies for building public and political will to promote meaningful conservation. Journal of Fish Biology 83(4):997-1018.
Frimpong, E. A. 2018. A case for conserving common species. PLOS Biology 16(2): e2004261

Geist J, Kolahsa M, Gum B, Kuehn R. 2009. The importance of genetic cluster recognition for the conservation of migratory fish species: the example of the endangered European huchen Hucho hucho (L.). Journal of Fish Biology 75(5):1063-1078.

Green, S. J., J. Armstrong, M. Bogan, E. Darling, S. Kross, C.M. Rochman, A. Smyth, and D. Verissimo.    2015.  Conservation needs diverse values, approaches, and practitioners.  Conservation Letters doi: 10.1111/conl.12204

Hogan, Z.S. 2011. Ecology and conservation of large-bodied freshwater catfish: a global perspective. American Fisheries Society Symposium 77:39–53.

Kalinkat, G. and seventeen coauthors. 2017. Flagship umbrella species needed for the conservation of overlooked aquatic biodiversity.  Conservation Biology 31:481-485.

Kalinkat, G. and seventeen coauthors. 2017. Flagship umbrella species needed for the conservation of overlooked aquatic biodiversity.  Conservation Biology Supplemental file.  18 pp.

Pinder AC, Raghavan R, Britton JR. 2015. Efficacy of angler catch data as a population and conservation monitoring tool for the flagship Mahseer fishes (Tor spp.) of Southern India. Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems 25(6):829-838. 204

So, N., J.K. Van Houdt, and F.A. Volckaert. 2006. Genetic diversity and population history of the migratory catfishes Pangasianodon hypophthalmus and Pangasius bocourti in the Cambodian Mekong River. Fisheries Science 72(3):469-476. 237

Stewart, D. J. 2013a. Re-description of Arapaima agassizii (Valenciennes), a rare fish from Brazil (Osteoglossomorpha: Osteoglossidae). Copeia 2013:38–51.

Stewart, D. J. 2013b. A new species of Arapaima (Osteoglossomorpha, Osteoglossidae) from the Solimões River, Amazonas State, Brazil. Copeia 2013:470–476.

Watson, L.C., D.J. Stewart, and A.M. Kretzer. 2016.  Genetic diversity and population structure of the threatened giant Arapaima in southwestern Guyana: Implications for their conservation. Copeia 104:864-872.

Weng, K.C., M.W. Pedersen, G.A. Del Raye, J. E. Caselle, and A. E Gray.  Umbrella species in  marine systems: using the endangered humphead wrasse to conserve coral reefs.  Endangered Species Research 27:251-263.

Asian Arowana "The Fish of Paradise" by Don Orth

Water monkeys that

Will outgrow aquaria

Do not buy or sell!

The Asian Arowana Scleropages formosus (Müller & Schlegel, 1844) is also known as the Golden Dragonfish or Golden Arowana.  In the Indonesian language, arowana means “the fish of paradise.”  However, this prized symbol of feng shui, has been driven towards extinction.   It lives in flooded forests, swamps, and sluggish rivers at very low densities throughout its range in southeast Asia.  Low densities are largely due to poaching in the international aquarium trade, draining swamp habitats for agriculture, and logging swamp forests. 

Asian Arowana Scleropages formosus

Asian Arowana are captured by subsistence fishers, who seldom eat them.  Rather they keep it alive to sell the fish for aquarium trade.  Trade of the Asian Arowana is restricted, but the fish is so highly valued that wild-caught specimens are frequently illegally sold.

Why its illegal to sell this fish?   Asian Arowana are endangered under the Convention on Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) and the US Endangered Species Act.  Breeders in Indonesia and Malaysia must be licensed and registered with the CITES Secretariat.  Each Asian Arowana that is exported must be microchipped and proof of certification must follow a process approved by CITES.  In order to import an Asian Arowana, you would need a permit from the US Fish and Wildlife Service, in order to justify your use.  Leave that to the large, pubic aquariums.  Asian Arowana may live for many decades and require very large aquaria (many hundreds of gallons) in order to thrive.    A San Diego man was convicted of illegally importing Asian Arowana and others are frequently prosecuted over illegal trade in arowanas. 

Asian Arowana are specialized surface feeders with a large mouth  and eyes that have binocular vision.  They can eat any type of fish. The tip of the lower jaw has large protruding barbels that are filled with taste buds.  The sensory barbels aid in feeding in murky waters. They are also able to leap from the water to capture insects and spiders.  Examination of their guts indicates they sometimes eat birds, bats, and snakes. This leaping behavior explains the name “water monkeys.”   Warm swamps or sluggish rivers with frequent periods of low oxygen are favored habitats of the Asian Arowana, which are facultative air breathers.  They have vascular tissues in swim bladder.

Asian Arowana (close up of head) showing the large protruding sensory barbels. Photo by Marcel Burkhard (Creative Commons)

This beautiful fish will be difficult restore to its native habitats due to pervasive habitat changes in southeast Asia (Koh et al. 2013).  The Freshwater Fisheries Research Station (FFRC) in Malaysia successfully bred the Golden Arowana in captivity in 1996.  During courtship the male chases the female and sometimes the pair swims together in a circle.  The pair eventually swim side by side with bodies touching, and the female releases a cluster of large, reddish orange eggs that are immediately fertilized by the male.   But the male’s parental role is not over yet.  The male scoops up the fertilized eggs into his mouth, where he incubates them until fry hatch and can swim independently.   The mouth-brooding male is busy with these chores for about 8 weeks. 

Arowana fry being released from mouth of parental male.  Photo source.

In wild populations, the color is usually silver with hints of red, gold, green, black, and/or blue. Colors vary among differing populations of Asian Arowana, as some populations became more isolated after sea levels rose in the Pleistocene.  Breeders cross varieties and create different colors in Asian Arowana, in particular the vibrant reds and golds that are most desired.    Recently, a team of scientists sequenced the genome of the Asian Arowana and identified 94 genes that may influence the color patterns (Austin et al. 2015). 

Young Asian Arowana in the mouth of parental male.  Source.

The Asian Arowana is a part of a very old lineage of early bony fishes that arose on the ancient supercontinent of Gondwana, which broke up 180 million years ago.  The Osteoglossomorpha are fishes commonly referred to as bonytongues, because of the teeth on the tongue and roof of the mouth.  Other well-known bonytongues fishes include the Mooneye, Goldeye, Arapaima, Elephantfishes, and the featherback knifefishes.  Today, we need to preserve and protect the remaining populations of the Asian Arowana so that there will be founders to restore wild populations.  Don't be tempted to buy an Asian Arowana.  Let’s ensure that this symbol of good luck and prosperity has a future as long as its past. 

 

References

Austin, C. M. et al. 2015. Whole genome sequencing of the Asian Arowana (Scleropages formosus) provides insights into the evolution of ray-finned fishes. Genome Biology and Evolution 7(10): 2885-95; doi: 10.1093/gbe/evv186

Koh, L.P., D. Sheil, T.M. Lee, X. Giam, L. Gibson, and G.R. Clements. 2013. Biodiversity state and trends in southeast Asia. Chapter 357 in Encyclopedia of Biodiversity, Volume 1.  

Kottelat, M. 2013. Scleropages formosus. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2013: e.T20034A9137739. http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2011-1.RLTS.T20034A9137739.en. Downloaded April 15, 2016