Fish diversity within branching-coral heads

We focused on fish diversity within branching-coral heads along a regional diversity gradient in the indo-pacific. An identical hierarchical sampling design was employed in three regions that consisted of: 1) 6 sites in each region; 2) 5 transects in each site; 3) 25 coral heads in each transect. Corals were generally identified to species level. We recorded all fishes that were found directly within, above or below each coral. Fishes that showed clear affiliation with the coral and swam around it were also recorded.