6 Coral Reef Fish
6.1 Introduction, Diversity, Taxonomy
The degree of species diversity as well as the density of communities of reef
fish are unknown in any other aquatic ecosystem of our planet (Marshall
1965; Ehrlich 1975, Ehrlich et al. 1977). Coral reefs harbor about a third of
all species of bony fish. The biomass of fish on reefs could attain 2 t ha -1.
This raises the question how does the reef ecosystem feed such a large mass
of fish, which, being a final trophie link, have a low efficiency in using the
consumed food for growth (some 0.1-0.15). It is quite obvious that these
phenomena are extremely important from the point of view of general
biology and general ecology (Odum and Odum 1955; c.L. Smith 1978).
The group of coral reef fish comprises such species as permanently live on
the reef or in its vicinity and use its trophic resources (Goldman and Talbot
1976). The ichthyofauna includes also some fish that are spending on reefs
only a part of their life cycles and could be found there only as juveniles
(Vivien 1973). Some species of reef fishes could be also met with outside of
reefs areas in coastal biotopes among rocks and macrophytes, which give
them refuge. The extremely high species diversity of reef fish was the result
of their long evolution, which proceeded together with the evolution of the
reefs themselves. The reefs of the Mesozoic were inhabited by ancient
acanthopterigian fish (Smith and Tyler 1972). The differentiation and
specialization of the bony fish actually started after the appearance of
scleractinian corals with the beginning of their building up large and diverse
reef constructions (Gosline 1971). The most ancient among reef fish
descended from the family Beryciformes. An intensive evolution of reef fish
went on during the Eocene (50 x 10 6 years B.P.) on the basis of the
development of ancient perches (order Perciformes). The families thus
formed are still dominant among reef fish, comprising about 60-70% of
their total species. The main genera of reef fish also existed 15 x 10 6 years
B.P. (Patterson 1964). The most ancient among modern reef fish are the
representatives of the families Holocentridae, Gobiidae, Pomacentridae,
Serranidae and Chaetodontidae. Other families of reef fish appeared in reef
environements relatively recently. Being pelagic, they changed their
morphology, size and coloration and adapted to living on reefs and to using
6.1 Introduction, Diversity, Taxonomy
The degree of species diversity as well as the density of communities of reef
fish are unknown in any other aquatic ecosystem of our planet (Marshall
1965; Ehrlich 1975, Ehrlich et al. 1977). Coral reefs harbor about a third of
all species of bony fish. The biomass of fish on reefs could attain 2 t ha -1.
This raises the question how does the reef ecosystem feed such a large mass
of fish, which, being a final trophie link, have a low efficiency in using the
consumed food for growth (some 0.1-0.15). It is quite obvious that these
phenomena are extremely important from the point of view of general
biology and general ecology (Odum and Odum 1955; c.L. Smith 1978).
The group of coral reef fish comprises such species as permanently live on
the reef or in its vicinity and use its trophic resources (Goldman and Talbot
1976). The ichthyofauna includes also some fish that are spending on reefs
only a part of their life cycles and could be found there only as juveniles
(Vivien 1973). Some species of reef fishes could be also met with outside of
reefs areas in coastal biotopes among rocks and macrophytes, which give
them refuge. The extremely high species diversity of reef fish was the result
of their long evolution, which proceeded together with the evolution of the
reefs themselves. The reefs of the Mesozoic were inhabited by ancient
acanthopterigian fish (Smith and Tyler 1972). The differentiation and
specialization of the bony fish actually started after the appearance of
scleractinian corals with the beginning of their building up large and diverse
reef constructions (Gosline 1971). The most ancient among reef fish
descended from the family Beryciformes. An intensive evolution of reef fish
went on during the Eocene (50 x 10 6 years B.P.) on the basis of the
development of ancient perches (order Perciformes). The families thus
formed are still dominant among reef fish, comprising about 60-70% of
their total species. The main genera of reef fish also existed 15 x 10 6 years
B.P. (Patterson 1964). The most ancient among modern reef fish are the
representatives of the families Holocentridae, Gobiidae, Pomacentridae,
Serranidae and Chaetodontidae. Other families of reef fish appeared in reef
environements relatively recently. Being pelagic, they changed their
morphology, size and coloration and adapted to living on reefs and to using