Community structure of butterflyfishes in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden

Abstract

1. A spatially comprehensive description of the butterflyfish assemblage structure in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden is presented. Fish were censused on 118 transects at 29 coral reef sites. 2. A total of 5062 butterflyfishes were counted along the Jordanian, Egyptian, Saudi Arabian, Yemeni and Djiboutian coasts, representing 14 species and two genera. 3. A spatially comprehensive description of the butterflyfish community structure in shallow water demonstrates that the most common species of butterflyfish along the Jordanian, Egyptian, and Saudi Arabian coasts were Chaetodon paucifasciatus, Chaetodon auriga, Chaetodon austriacus respectively, and Chaetodon Iarvatus off Yemen and Djibouti. 4. The comparison of butterflyfish community on reefs around the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden suggests two main groups, a northern Red Sea and central Red Sea group, and a southern Red Sea and Gulf of Aden group.