Mallet D. auteur aut IRD Vigliola Laurent auteur aut IRD Wantiez L. auteur aut IRD Pelletier D. auteur aut IRD text journalArticle eng text/pdf born digital access Small-scale spatial and temporal variability in animal abundance is an intrinsic characteristic of marine ecosystems but remains largely unknown for most animals, including coral reef fishes. In this study, we used a remote autonomous unbaited video system and recorded reef fish assemblages during daylight hours, 10 times a day for 34 consecutive days in a branching coral patch of the lagoon of New Caledonia. In total, 50031 fish observations belonging to 114 taxa, 66 genera and 31 families were recorded in 256 recorded videos. Carnivores and herbivore-detritus feeders dominated the trophic structure. We found significant variations in the composition of fish assemblages between times of day. Taxa richness and fish abundance were greater in the early morning and in the late afternoon than during the day. Fourteen taxa displayed well-defined temporal patterns in abundance with one taxon influenced by time of day, six influenced by tidal state and seven influenced by both time of day and tidal state. None of these 14 taxa were piscivores, 10 were herbivore-detritus feeders, three were carnivores and one was plankton feeder. Our results suggest a diel migration from feeding grounds to shelter areas and highlight the importance of taking into account small-scale temporal variability in animal diversity and abundance when studying connectivity between habitats and monitoring communities. specialized coral reef fish high-frequency sampling patterns temporal variation underwater video NOUVELLE CALEDONIE PACIFIQUE SUD 036 41 7 733-744 2016 1442-9985 https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/fdi:010068307 10.1111/aec.12360 1442-9985 [F B010068307] https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/fdi:010068307 https://www.documentation.ird.fr/intranet/publi/2016/11/010068307.pdf Accès réservé (Intranet de l'IRD) IRD - Base Horizon / Pleins textes 2016-12-06 2017-08-23 fdi:010068307 fre