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Effect of habitat characteristics on the distribution and abundance of damselfish within a Red Sea reef

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Abstract

For coral reef fish with an obligate relationship to their habitat, like Pomacentrid damselfish, choosing a suitable home amongst the reef structure is key to survival. A surprisingly small number of studies have examined patterns in adult damselfish distributions compared to other ontogenetic phases. The aim of this study was to determine which reef and coral colony characteristics explained adult damselfish distribution patterns in a Red Sea reef. The characteristics investigated were reef type (continuous or patchy), coral species (seven species of Acropora), and coral morphology (coral size and branching density). The focal damselfish species were Dascyllus aruanus, D. marginatus, Chromis viridis, and C. flavaxilla. Occupancy (presence or absence of resident damselfish), group size and fish species richness were not significantly different between the seven Acropora species. However, within each coral species, damselfish were more likely to occupy larger coral colonies than smaller coral colonies. Occupancy rates were also higher in patchy reef habitats than in continuous sections of the reef, probably because average coral colony size was greater in patchy reef type. Fish group size increased significantly with coral colony volume and with larger branch spacing. Multi-species groups of fish commonly occurred and were increasingly likely with reduced branching density and increased coral size.

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Acknowledgments

We thank K. Dunlop, M. Dirnwoeber, R. Nager, D. Haydon, and the staff at the Dahab Marine Research Center and DiveIn Center (in particular K. Jentsch, A. Tischer, H. Lange, T. von Arx, M. Gold, Ibraham, and Salem) for their generous assistance. Funding for this study was provided by the University of Glasgow, Glasgow Natural History Society, Royal Geographical Society (with IBG), and the Gilchrist Trust. This work was carried out under a permit from the Egyptian Environmental Affairs Agency.

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  1. Lauren E. Nadler

    Present address: School of Marine and Tropical Biology, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, 4811, Australia

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, University of Glasgow, University Avenue, Glasgow, G12 8QQ, UK

    Lauren E. Nadler, Deborah C. McNeill & David M. Bailey

  2. Department of Marine Science, Faculty of Science, Suez Canal University, 41522, Ismailia, Egypt

    Magdy A. Alwany

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  1. Lauren E. Nadler
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Correspondence to Lauren E. Nadler.

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Nadler, L.E., McNeill, D.C., Alwany, M.A. et al. Effect of habitat characteristics on the distribution and abundance of damselfish within a Red Sea reef. Environ Biol Fish 97, 1265–1277 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10641-013-0212-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10641-013-0212-9

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