Kulbicki M., Bozec Y. M., Green A. (2005). Implications of biogeography in the use of butterflyfishes (Chaetodontidae) as indicators for Western and Central Pacific areas. Aquatic Conservation Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems, 15 (Suppl. 1), p. S109-S126. ISSN 1052-7613.
Titre du document
Implications of biogeography in the use of butterflyfishes (Chaetodontidae) as indicators for Western and Central Pacific areas
Aquatic Conservation Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems, 2005,
15 (Suppl. 1), p. S109-S126 ISSN 1052-7613
The biogeography in the Western and Central Pacific of butterflyfishes (Chaetodontidae) is analysed with respect to their diversity, diet, size and behaviour. This analysis, based on data from 48 islands, is used to discuss some of the assumptions underlying the use of these fishes as indicators of reef ecological condition and in reef fish monitoring programmes. 2. The diversity of butterflyfishes is highly correlated to total diversity, and the relative importance of butterflyfishes for total diversity decreases as total diversity increases. 3. Factors found significant in explaining butterflyfish diversity were distance to the biodiversity centre, island size and connectivity, the variance explained by these factors being at least 81%. Latitude, terrestrial influence and reef development were not significant. 4. Feeding categories of butterflyfishes are not randomly distributed over their range: coral feeders and other sessile invertebrate feeders are more diverse than expected. The relative diversity of algae-feeding species and generalist feeders decreases with butterflyfish diversity. Small and medium size fishes are less diverse than expected, large fishes are more diverse than expected. 5. Local species composition of butterflyfish may not reflect species composition at a larger scale, in particular biological and ecological traits are not necessarily distributed similarly at different spatial scales. 6. The geographical distribution of butterflyfishes in the Western and Central Pacific suggests that the best conditions for using these fish as indicators of reef ecological condition should be found in islands with average diversity, i.e. not too close to the biodiversity centre, nor too large. The distribution of butterflyfish suggests that their use in monitoring programmes should take into account the geographical variations of their biological and ecological traits. Copyright (c) 2005 John Wiley and Sons, Ltd.
