(DRAFT) - Taxonomy
Species cunner cunner
Species Id M010506
Date 27 AUG 96

TAXONOMY

NAME - cunner cunner

OTHER COMMON NAMES - perch, sea perch, blue perch, bergall, chogset and choggy

ELEMENT CODE -

CATEGORY - Fish

PHYLUM AND SUBPHYLUM - Chordata,

CLASS AND SUBCLASS - Osteichthyes,

ORDER AND SUBORDER - Perciformes,

FAMILY AND SUBFAMILY - Labridae,

GENUS AND SUBGENUS - Tautogolabrus,

SPECIES AND SSP - adspersus,

SCIENTIFIC NAME - Tautogolabrus adspersus

AUTHORITY -

TAXONOMY REFERENCES - 204

Taxonomy - 1 (DRAFT) - Status
Species cunner cunner
Species Id M010506
Date 27 AUG 96

STATUS

Coded Status
Game (Consumptive Recreational)
Biological Indicator
See Comments

REFERENCES FOR STATUS - 204 and 205

COMMENTS ON STATUS -
The cunner was a favorite panfish during the late 19th and early 20th
centuries; however, landings were reported erratically. It is not now
widely regarded as a commercial or sport species, but is a significant part
of the catch of vacationing tourists and other bait fishermen along the
shore. No state regulates the landings of this species *204*.

Regarded as a nuisance for stealing bait *205*.

Status - 1 (DRAFT) - Distribution
Species cunner cunner
Species Id M010506
Date 27 AUG 96

DISTRIBUTION

Distribution - 1 HABITAT ASSOCIATIONS

NATIONAL WETLAND INVENTORY CODES

NWI NWICLS NWIMOD NWISPEC

Marine RS.
Marine AB1
Estuarine RS.
Marine RF.
Marine UB1

REFERENCES FOR NWI - 204

COMMENTS ON HABITAT ASSOCIATIONS -
Cunner disperse to seasonal habitats during summer from perennial habitats
that are occupied year-round by most of the population. Seasonal habitats
may be eelgrass, beds of macro-algae, or mussels. Eelgrass and macro-algal
stands are ephemeral habitats along most of the range of cunner. As the
plants begin to die, the habitat value decreases. The migratory portion of
the population shows no particular fidelity to perennial sites. The fish
overwinter at the perennial sites. They settle into individual shelters
(crevices, along rock walls, under rocks), when temperatures reach between
8 and 5 degrees C, and remain "temperature debilitated" (torpid) until
spring when water temperatures increase *204*.

Habitat Associations - 1 (DRAFT) - Food Habits
Species cunner cunner
Species Id M010506
Date 27 AUG 96

FOOD HABITS

TROPHIC LEVEL -
CARNIVORE

REFERENCES FOR TROPHIC LEVEL - 204

LIFESTAGE FOOD FOOD PART
General Bivalve Molluscs Not Specified
General Crustaceans Not Specified
General Cirripeds Not Specified
General See Comments; Food

REFERENCES FOR GENERAL FOOD - 204

COMMENTS ON FOOD -
Foraging in both species involves scan-and-pick feeding throughout the day.
Cunner forage on a variety of benthic or near-bottom invertebrates.
Predominant prey species are blue mussels (Mytilus edulis), barnacles
(Balanus spp.), soft shell clams (Mya arenaria), amphipods, shrimps, and
small lobsters (Homarus americanus). Species and size of prey varies by
habitat, latitude, and size class of fish. Juvenile cunner preferentially
prey on mussels during May and June. Cunner preferences shift primarily to
isopods (Idotea baltica) from July to October *204*.
The fish overwinter at the perennial sites. They settle into individual
shelters (crevices, along rock walls, under rocks), when temperatures reach
between 8 and 5 degrees C, and remain "temperature debilitated" (torpid)
until spring when water temperatures increase. Large fish become torpid
before the smaller ones; thus, the smaller fish feed longer. Almost no
feeding occurs during the period of torpor *204*.

Food Habits - 1 (DRAFT) - Environment Associations
Species cunner cunner
Species Id M010506
Date 27 AUG 96

ENVIRONMENTAL ASSOCIATIONS

G = General A = Adult
LIM = Limiting RA = Resting Adult
J = Juvenile FA = Feeding Adult
RJ = Resting Juvenile BA = Breeding Adult
FJ = Feeding Juvenile P = Pupae
L = Larvae E = Egg
RL = Resting Larvae
FL = Feeding Larvae

LIFESTAGE ENVIRONMENTAL ASSOCIATIONS
G Water Temperature: Specified in Comments
G Bottom Type [Aquatic]: Rubble
G Aquatic Vegetation [specified type]: Specified in comments
G Coastal Features: Reefs
G Currents: specified in comments

REFERENCES FOR ENVIRONMENTAL ASSOC_ - 204

COMMENTS ON ENVIRONMENTAL ASSOCIATIONS -
Cunner become torpid when metabolism is depressed by falling water
temperatures. At about 8 degrees C, the largest fish remain in shelter
throughout temperature decreases further, the smaller fish remain in
shelters. As water temperatures increase in spring, the trend reverses,
the smaller fish resuming activity before the large ones. Differences
between the largest and smallest fish are 1 to 3 weeks in both fall and
spring *204*.
Seasonal habitats may be eelgrass, beds of macro-algae, or mussels.
Eelgrass and macro-algal stands are ephemeral habitats along most of the
range of cunner. The fish overwinter at the perennial sites. They settle
into individual shelters (crevices, along rock walls, under rocks), when
temperatures reach between 8 and 5 degrees C, and remain "temperature
debilitated" (torpid) until spring when water temperatures increase *204*.

Cyclical changes in current velocity over topographically complex habitats,
which are shelter sites for cunner, shifted the small-scale spatial
distribution of fish by size. Fish of different sizes within a species are
limited in their maneuverability at specific current velocities. Areas
exposed to currents become prey refuges for fish of specific sizes as
velocity increases. These areas again become available, and others
restricted, as tidal current direction shifts. Changes in current speed
and direction, resulting in concomitant small-scale shifts in distribution,
continuously shift the prey available to predators. This phenomenon may
provide a short-term isolating mechanisms for different sizes of fish to
reduce both interspecific and intraspecific competition in what may be a
food-limited system *204*.

Environment Associations - 1 (DRAFT) - Life History
Species cunner cunner
Species Id M010506
Date 27 AUG 96

LIFE HISTORY

DESCRIPTION:
The tautog and cunner are the only two representatives of labridae along the
northeast coast of the United States. They are easily distinguished from
other co-occurring fishes in having single long dorsal fin, ventral fins
almost directly beneath the pectorals, and a deep caudal peduncle. The
anterior part of the dorsal fin is spiny; the rest is soft rayed. The point
of division of spines and soft rays is not readily discernible. In both
species, the roof of the mouth and the pharynx have crushing teeth suitable
for breaking and grinding hard-shelled prey. The two species differ in
dorsal profile from the mouth to the base of the dorsal fin; it is rounded
in the tautog but relatively straight in the cunner. Also, the caudal
peduncle is relatively wider and the caudal fin narrower in the tautog than
in the cunner *204*.
The color patterns of the cunner is variable; different areas are mottled
brown, red, green, and blue. Young cunner (up to 10 cm total length) have a
black spot at the anterior part of the soft dorsal fin rays. The cunner has
been recorded only up to 44 cm and generally does not exceed 31 cm *204*.

REPRODUCTION:
Cunner spawn in pairs or groups, depending on conditions. Possession of a
territory is necessary for successful mating. Females may select males more
on the basis of the males' own characteristics (frequency of aggression and
courtship, and body size) than on the basis of qualities of the territories
such as size. Male-male competition may affect male reproductive success.
During the spawning season, territorial males shift the major period of
feeding from afternoon to morning and most territorial behavior (courtship
and aggression) occurs in the afternoon *204*.

BEHAVIOR:
The cunner does not migrate long distances. Cunner move about to various
degrees during the day. Daily movements of the cunner are generally within
several meters to several hundred meters of their nocturnal shelter site.
The fish overwinter at the perennial sites. They settle into individual
shelters (crevices, along rock walls, under rocks), when temperatures reach
between 8 and 5 degrees C, and remain "temperature debilitated" (torpid)
until spring when water temperatures increase. Large fish become torpid
before the smaller ones; thus, the smaller fish feed longer.
Foraging involves scan-and-pick feeding throughout the day *204*.

LIMITING FACTORS:
Juveniles and adults of cunner generally live together and depend on cover.
Like all labridae, they are active during the day and become quiescent at
night. During this lethargic period, individual fish require shelter for
protection. Habitat can include rock reefs, rock outcrops, gravel, eelgrass
beds, and kelp. The functional requirement is that individual fish be able
to remain alongside or under an object for shelter. Shelter sites,
therefore, may become a limiting factor of population size within a
particular habitat, such as a rock reef, since all sizes of cunner
(less than about 250 mm in total length) would require shelter of similar
size and type. Interspecific and intraspecific competition for shelter
sites may occur. This hypothesis is supported because other reef fishes are
limited by shelter; it is one of the factors that limit the size and
diversity of coral reef fish assemblages *204*.

SPECIES INTERACTIONS:
Ecological role. Cunner is a year-round resident member of the nearshore
fish assemblage and is locally abundant in its preferred habitat.
A study showed that the density of cunner was 3.9 fish/m-squared (80
g/m-squared) in an area of Narragansett Bay, Rhode Island. These values for
density and biomass are about 10 times larger than those for many temperate
demersal fish assemblages and are within the range of tropical reef
assemblages. Cunner preys heavily on benthic organisms and the effect of an
individual cunner on benthic prey populations is equal to or greater than
that of other individual predators such as gastropods or starfish. The
cunner may be a direct competitor with other benthic predators that prefer
blue mussels as prey. These species include the commercially important
American lobster *204*.

REFERENCES FOR LIFE HISTORY- 204

Life History - 2 (DRAFT) - Management Practices
Species cunner cunner
Species Id M010506
Date 27 AUG 96

MANAGEMENT PRACTICES

COMMENTS ON MANAGEMENT PRACTICES -
The cunner was a favorite panfish during the late 19th and early 20th
centuries; however, landings were reported erratically. It is not now
widely regarded as a commercial or sport species, but is a significant part
of the catch of vacationing tourists and other bait fishermen along the
shore. No state regulates the landings of this species *204*.

Management Practices - 1 (DRAFT) - References
Species cunner cunner
Species Id M010506
Date 27 AUG 96

References

204 * Auster, Peter. 1989. Species Profiles: Life Histories and
Environmental Requirements of Coastal Fishes and Invertebrates
(North Atlantic and Mid-Atlantic) --Tautog and Cunner.
82(11.105) (ed.). U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Washington, DC
and Vicksburg, MS:13.

References - 1