Geographic variation in distributions and abundance of coral reef fishes

This study documents large scale geographic variations in the distribution and abundance of coral reef fishes on outer reef slopes (surface to 13m depth). Transects were conducted by 45 minute scuba swims recording the abundance (log 5 abundance) of species of pomacentrids, chaetodontids, acanthurids, scarids and selected species of labrids, siganids and caesionids (cf Williams 1982).Data were recorded at eight latitudes across the breadth of the Great Barrier Reef (transects perpendicular to shore and approximately centred on 11.5S (Far North), 14.7S (Lizard Is), 16.7S (Cairns), 18.5S (Townsville),19.7S (Whitsundays), 21.5S ( Pompeys), 22.0S (Swains), 23.5S (Capricorn-Bunkers) plus four reefs in the Coral Sea at 13.9S (Osprey), 15.5S (Bougainville), 16.5S (Holmes) and 17.8S (Flinders Reefs). Elizabeth and Middleton Reefs (Tasman Sea), and Scott and Seringapatam Reefs and Rowley Shoals (northern WA). Similar data were also collected in at Vanuatu (13.0S to 21.0S) and in French Polynesia (Moorea, Mataiva). Observations were obtained in different areas between January 1980 and December 1988 with the exception of the West Australian reefs (1993).This study describes the observations of patterns and processes in distribution and abundance of fishes within reefs, between zones and among species. The structure of fish communities across the continental shelf and the distribution of reef fishes in a wide range of spatial scales and across regional areas.