Community organization of reef fishes in the live coral sub-habitat of Kavaratti atoll, Lakshadweep, India

Abstract

Data on the community organization of coral reef fishes of Kavaratti atoll, Lakshadweep, India were collected during the period January 1991 to June 1992. Species were enumerated by visual census on the live coral sub-habitat for frequency of occurrence, abundance, composition, diversity, evenness and seasonal variation in community parameters. As the live coral zone was composed of a single species of ramose coral (Acropora formosa), only 14 families and 39 species of reef fishes made use of this zone, the community diversity being 1.84 and 3.16. Chaetodontids, labrids and pomacentrids were comparatively more abundant. Varying habitats of chaetodontids explain their restricted distribution. Live coral does not seem to be a preferred habitat of labrids. The occurrence of epinephelids was influenced by readily available prey. Most species among live coral were resident, variations resulted from factors affecting new recruits rather than habitat shifts.