The Fishes of the Gulf of Guinea Oceanic Islands

Costa, L. Moreira Da; Maia, Hugulay Albuquerque; Almeida, Armando J.

doi:10.1007/978-3-031-06153-0_17

Cited by 8 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 72 publications

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“…Ocean currents determine the most likely sources of aquatic organisms and of terrestrial organisms that disperse in water, including some seed plants and marine fishes that became secondarily adapted to the freshwater bodies of the islands (Costa et al 2022). These currents have also likely played a major role in facilitating the arrival of many non-volant, non-swimming, and salt-intolerant animals via passive dispersal on floating vegetation rafts (e.g., Ali and Fritz 2021).…”

Section: Getting There: Modes Of Active and Passive Dispersalmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…For other taxonomic groups, the diversity of the islands is still incompletely documented and described (Ceríaco et al 2022a), and thus building the essential foundation for future hypothesis-driven studies is still a work in progress for these other taxa. A brief overview of marine biogeography in the Gulf of Guinea is described in Costa et al (2022).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Biogeography and Evolution in the Oceanic Islands of the Gulf of Guinea

Melo

Ceríaco

Bell

2022

Biodiversity of the Gulf of Guinea Oceanic Islands

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As with most archipelagos, geography played a central role in the assembly and evolution of the endemic-rich biological communities of the Gulf of Guinea oceanic islands. The islands are located at moderate distances from the species-rich African continent that surrounds them to the east and north. This proximity facilitated colonization by many branches of the tree of life, but gene flow between the islands and continent was low enough that many lineages evolved in isolation once they reached the archipelago, resulting in many endemic species. Furthermore, several of the island taxa belong to groups typically considered to be “poor dispersers” across sea barriers, which strongly supports a role for natural rafts in seeding the islands. Oceanic currents, including the freshwater pathways that extend from large river drainages into the Gulf of Guinea during the rainy season, also support this hypothesis. The distances between the islands are equivalent to those between the islands and the continent such that inter-island dispersal events appear to be relatively rare and thus few taxa are shared between them. Still, the islands present multiple cases of secondary contact leading to hybridization and genetic introgression between closely related lineages—providing several models to study the role and consequences of gene flow in evolution. Most taxa for which molecular estimates of divergence time have been derived are much younger than the ages of the islands. This pattern is consistent with high species turnover, likely resulting from a combination of small island sizes, proximity to the African continent and a long history of intense volcanic activity. The Gulf of Guinea oceanic islands provide multiple examples of classical adaptations to island life (the “island syndrome”), including giants and dwarves, ornament and color loss, among others. In addition, emerging studies of birds are highlighting the importance of competition regimes in driving phenotypic change—with examples of both character release (low inter-specific competition) and character displacement (inter-specific competition upon secondary contact). Collectively, the Gulf of Guinea oceanic islands offer unique opportunities to study adaptation and speciation in a range of taxa and contexts.

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Section: Getting There: Modes Of Active and Passive Dispersalmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Biogeography and Evolution in the Oceanic Islands of the Gulf of Guinea

Melo

Ceríaco

Bell

2022

Biodiversity of the Gulf of Guinea Oceanic Islands

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“…Terrestrial vertebrates are certainly the best-studied taxa, but since 2000 two amphibians (Uyeda et al 2007; Bell 2016), six reptiles (Ceríaco et al 2022a), and one mammal species (Ceríaco et al 2015) have been newly described as endemic to the islands. Many widespread species have also been reported for the first time, including plants (Stévart et al 2019), land snails (Holyoak et al 2020), fishes (Costa et al 2022), and birds (Lima and Melo 2021). A few have also regained species status (e.g., Melo et al 2010), while many others remain undescribed, even among plants (e.g.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Species Ecology in the Gulf of Guinea Oceanic Islands: Distribution, Habitat Preferences, Assemblages, and Interactions

Soares

Hancock

Palmeirim

et al. 2022

Biodiversity of the Gulf of Guinea Oceanic Islands

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The oceanic islands of the Gulf of Guinea (Príncipe, São Tomé, and Annobón) are an exceptional centre of endemism for flora and fauna. Remarkable progress has been made in biological research during the last few decades: from species being described and reported for the first time, to general patterns of species-habitat associations found across terrestrial, coastal, and marine taxa. Despite this increase in knowledge, key aspects of Gulf of Guinea species ecology remain poorly understood. This chapter reviews existing knowledge on the biodiversity of the islands, focusing on species distributions, population abundance estimates, traits, habitat associations and interactions. To promote these islands as ecological models, and to ensure the future of their endemic-rich biodiversity, it is essential to overcome current knowledge gaps and reduce existing taxonomic, spatial, and temporal biases in the information available. Therefore, future studies should favour systematic island-wide surveys and prioritize understudied areas and taxonomic groups. Moreover, long-term monitoring studies are urgently needed to assess biodiversity trends and to advise conservation actions. The future of ecological research and conservation of the unique biodiversity of these islands must increasingly rely on the development of local biodiversity-focused scientific expertise, through outreach, capacity building, and advanced training, paired with international collaborations and the development of local organizations.

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“…Regarding vertebrates, there are four taxonomic chapters for terrestrial groups and three for aquatic taxa. Chapter 17 (Costa et al 2022) lists and discusses the more than 1000 species of fishes that potentially occur in the fresh and marine waters of the islands. Chapter 18 (Bell et al 2022) deals with amphibians, which include three species on Príncipe and six on São Tomé, all of which are endemic (Annobón has no amphibians).…”

Section: Book Structurementioning

confidence: 99%

Biodiversity in the Gulf of Guinea Oceanic Islands: A Synthesis

Ceríaco

Lima

Bell

et al. 2022

Biodiversity of the Gulf of Guinea Oceanic Islands

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The Gulf of Guinea oceanic islands (Príncipe, São Tomé, and Annobón) are among the most endemic-rich regions of the planet. Historical scientific studies of the islands’ unique biodiversity are scattered in a variety of publications, many of which are difficult to access. More recently, there has been a growing interest in the islands, which is reflected in a burst of new studies, reports, and ongoing projects. Here we aim to provide an updated and comprehensive synthesis, covering all the key information and references on the biodiversity of these islands. The goal of the book is to be a comprehensive reference for students, researchers, and conservationists dedicated to the study and preservation of this unique biodiversity. It also intends to serve as a basis for local stakeholders to make informed decisions, namely regarding conservation actions. The book is divided into three main sections: (1) a general overview of the islands and their biodiversity, including aspects of natural and human history (six chapters); (2) detailed accounts on different taxonomic groups (16 chapters); and (3) the conservation, environmental education, and research challenges that lie ahead (three chapters).

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The Fishes of the Gulf of Guinea Oceanic Islands

Cited by 8 publications

References 72 publications

Biogeography and Evolution in the Oceanic Islands of the Gulf of Guinea

Biogeography and Evolution in the Oceanic Islands of the Gulf of Guinea

Species Ecology in the Gulf of Guinea Oceanic Islands: Distribution, Habitat Preferences, Assemblages, and Interactions

Biodiversity in the Gulf of Guinea Oceanic Islands: A Synthesis

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