Viruses of Atlantic Bonefish (Albula vulpes) in Florida and the Caribbean show geographic patterns consistent with population declines

摘要: Atlantic Bonefish (Albula vulpes) are economically important due to their popularity with recreational anglers. In the State of Florida, USA, bonefish population numbers declined by approximately 60% between the 1990s and 2015. Habitat loss, water quality impairment, chemical inputs, and other anthropogenic factors have been implicated as causes, but the role of pathogens has been largely overlooked, especially with respect to viruses. We used a metagenomic approach to identify and quantify viruses in the blood of 103 A. vulpes sampled throughout their Western Atlantic range, including populations in Florida that have experienced population declines and populations in Belize, Mexico, Puerto Rico, and The Bahamas that have remained apparently stable. We identified four viruses, all of which are members of families known to infect marine fishes (Flaviviridae, Iflaviridae, Narnaviridae, and Nodaviridae), but …