Distribution Pattern of Coral Reef Fishes in China

Abstract

Coral reefs are known as “tropical rain forests” in the ocean. Fish diversity is extremely high, accounting for one-third of marine fishes. To better protect and manage coral reef fishes, this study systematically compiled documents and databases published in China. We counted 2855 species of coral reef fishes in China, which belong to 3 classes, 41 orders, 252 families, and 1017 genera. Among these, Perciformes was the dominant order, accounting for 57.31% of the total species. Gobiidae (7.43%), Labridae (5.36%), Pomacentridae (4.52%), and Serranidae (4.38%) were the main families, while other families accounted for less than 4%. Furthermore, 5.56% of coral reef fish species have entered the IUCN Red List. The present study found that coral reef fishes can be divided into nearshore and offshore. This was mainly because the nearshore coral reef fishes were more affected by human disturbance and runoff from the mainland, whereas offshore coral reef fishes were in areas with high salinity and temperature far from the mainland, where human disturbance was less. Coral reef fish species’ diversity had a significant positive correlation with coral species diversity (p < 0.05), mainly because corals provide habitat and shelter. This study is the first systematic compilation and analysis of coral reef fishes in China and provides a basic reference for global protection management and biological geographical analysis.

Composition and Long-Term Variation Characteristics of Coral Reef Fish Species in Yongle Atoll, Xisha Islands, China

“…Coral reefs are one of the most diverse marine ecosystems, known as the “undersea tropical rainforest”, which nourishes one-third of the world’s marine fish and generates enormous economic value for humanity [ 1 ]. Coral reef fish provide jobs for 6 million fishermen and direct food sources for hundreds of millions of people [ 2 , 3 ]. However, in recent decades, the health and stability of coral reef ecosystems have been under great pressure, and climate change has gradually become the main threat to coral reef ecosystems.…”