Taxonomic and Phylogenetic Indices of Species Assemblages in the Deep-Sea Demersal Ichthyofauna of the South-eastern Arabian Sea: Simple Measures of Diversity for Marine Ecosystem-Based Management

Abstract

The marine fisheries sector plays a significant role in the economic development of the nation by providing nutritional security and employment opportunities. Phylogenetic diversity (PD) is a biodiversity measure that takes account of phylogenetic relationships between taxa. There is no previous report on taxonomic and phylogenetic diversity indices for the deep sea fishes of the southwest coast of India. Taxonomic diversity and phylogenetic diversity indices are more useful for spatial-temporal comparison of diversities because these indices have a negligible influence on sampling bias; the measures are based on presence/absence of species when the taxonomic hierarchy is ignored and the taxonomic diversity is similar like classical diversity indices such as Simpson diversity. The measured values produced in the study will serve as benchmark data for future studies on deep sea fish biodiversity along the southwest coast of India.