Data from: Ecological specialisation of reef fishes peaks in global biodiversity hotspots

The role off ecological specialization in shaping evolutionary and
biogeographic patterns remains unresolved. To date, few studies have
quantitatively examined ecological specialization at a global scale,
especially for reef fishes. Here, we describe global biogeographic and
evolutionary patterns of reef fish specialization. We assemble the largest
dataset on reef fish trophic interactions, including dietary information
for 5,000 individuals across 387 reef fishes. We add reef fish geographic
distributions, using their thermal niche as a proxy for thermal
specialization. We reveal that species richness is positively associated
with trophic specialization, while isolated reefs are dominated by trophic
and thermal generalists. We also reveal a trade-off in specialization:
while specialization may be favored in biodiversity hotspots, generalists
have a higher colonization capacity and represent an advantageous strategy
on isolated reefs. This work sheds new light on the origin and maintenance
of fish communities in coral reefs.