Mapping and GIS analysis of the global distribution of coral reef fishes on an equal-area grid

Abstract

Tropical coral reefs form the most diverse and productive ecosystems in the oceans (Dubinsky, 1990). At higher taxonomic levels (e.g. orders, classes and phyla) reefs are perhaps the most diverse ecosystems in the world and they support a vast, morphologically diverse and colorful array of species. An estimated 4000 species of fishes, approximately 25% of the marine fish species, inhabit coral reefs (McAllister, 1991a). Despite this high biodiversity, coral reefs cover only 0.18% of the world’s oceans (Smith, 1978). The fish fauna of coral reefs is thus two orders of magnitude richer than the average of the fish diversity in the oceans. Coral reefs are important to people since they provide more than half the animal protein in the diets of many tropical countries, considerable employment, and coastal protection against storm waves (McAllister, 1988).