Spatial patterns of cryptobenthic coral-reef fishes in the Red Sea

Surveys to document coral-reef fish assemblages are often limited to visually conspicuous species, thus excluding a significant proportion of the biodiversity. Through standardized collections of cryptobenthic reef fishes in the central and southern Red Sea, a total of 238 species and operational ta...

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Main Authors: Coker, D., Di Battista, Joseph, Sinclair-Taylor, T., Berumen, M.
Format: Journal Article
Published: Springer Verlag 2017
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/60474
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author Coker, D.
Di Battista, Joseph
Sinclair-Taylor, T.
Berumen, M.
author_facet Coker, D.
Di Battista, Joseph
Sinclair-Taylor, T.
Berumen, M.
author_sort Coker, D.
building Curtin Institutional Repository
collection Online Access
description Surveys to document coral-reef fish assemblages are often limited to visually conspicuous species, thus excluding a significant proportion of the biodiversity. Through standardized collections of cryptobenthic reef fishes in the central and southern Red Sea, a total of 238 species and operational taxonomic units (OTUs) from 35 families were collected. Abundance and species richness increased by 60 and 30%, respectively, from north to south, and fish community composition differed between the two regions and with proximity to shore in the central region. Models suggest regional influences in fish communities, with latitudinal patterns influenced by key coral groups (Acropora, Pocilloporidae) and variation in environmental parameters (chlorophyll a, sea surface temperature, salinity). This study illustrates the limited taxonomic resolution in this group and in this region, and the need to expand baseline data for this under-studied assemblage. To assist in advancing this initiative, we have produced a catalogue of specimens, archived photographs, and established a DNA sequence library based on cytochrome-c oxidase subunit-I barcodes for all OTUs.
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spelling curtin-20.500.11937-604742018-05-15T03:24:22Z Spatial patterns of cryptobenthic coral-reef fishes in the Red Sea Coker, D. Di Battista, Joseph Sinclair-Taylor, T. Berumen, M. Surveys to document coral-reef fish assemblages are often limited to visually conspicuous species, thus excluding a significant proportion of the biodiversity. Through standardized collections of cryptobenthic reef fishes in the central and southern Red Sea, a total of 238 species and operational taxonomic units (OTUs) from 35 families were collected. Abundance and species richness increased by 60 and 30%, respectively, from north to south, and fish community composition differed between the two regions and with proximity to shore in the central region. Models suggest regional influences in fish communities, with latitudinal patterns influenced by key coral groups (Acropora, Pocilloporidae) and variation in environmental parameters (chlorophyll a, sea surface temperature, salinity). This study illustrates the limited taxonomic resolution in this group and in this region, and the need to expand baseline data for this under-studied assemblage. To assist in advancing this initiative, we have produced a catalogue of specimens, archived photographs, and established a DNA sequence library based on cytochrome-c oxidase subunit-I barcodes for all OTUs. 2017 Journal Article http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/60474 10.1007/s00338-017-1647-9 Springer Verlag restricted
spellingShingle Coker, D.
Di Battista, Joseph
Sinclair-Taylor, T.
Berumen, M.
Spatial patterns of cryptobenthic coral-reef fishes in the Red Sea
title Spatial patterns of cryptobenthic coral-reef fishes in the Red Sea
title_full Spatial patterns of cryptobenthic coral-reef fishes in the Red Sea
title_fullStr Spatial patterns of cryptobenthic coral-reef fishes in the Red Sea
title_full_unstemmed Spatial patterns of cryptobenthic coral-reef fishes in the Red Sea
title_short Spatial patterns of cryptobenthic coral-reef fishes in the Red Sea
title_sort spatial patterns of cryptobenthic coral-reef fishes in the red sea
url http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/60474