Abstract

The study of reproductive traits of fishes can contribute to estimates of population size and to predictions of population growth or decline. While often applicable to the management and assessment of fisheries stocks, understanding a species’ reproductive traits can also be useful in the management of invasive, pest, or overpopulated species. Determination of sex and reproductive phase are primary steps in assessing population demographic parameters, and macroscopic techniques al-low for low cost data collection. The aims of this study were to derive and validate a classification scheme for rapid assess-ment of sex and reproductive phase of lionfish in Biscayne National Park, FL. This study evaluates gonadal phase of devel-opment of male and female lionfish using high-throughput macroscopic assessment of the gonads. The results of the macro-scopic evaluation of these fish, recorded using digital photography, were validated using traditional histological analysis on a subset of individuals. After validation, this macroscopic gonad classification scheme was utilized in a citizen science initi-ative in Biscayne National Park, where students and educators dissected and collected photographs of lionfish gonads. These photographs were analyzed, with gonads being identified for sex and reproductive phase according to the produced classification scheme. This citizen science initiative assisted in the collection of hundreds of gonad photographs, contrib-uting to a large dataset, the analysis of which was used to describe reproductive traits, strategies, and demographic parame-ters of lionfish in Biscayne National Park.

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