Bijoy, Nandan S; Prabhakaran, M P; Pillai, N G K; Jayachandran, P R(June , 2013)
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Abstract:
Present study consists the species diversity, abundance and community structure of ichthyofauna in the seagrass meadow
of Minicoy Atoll, Lakshadweep Islands. Two hundred and three species of fishes were recorded during the study, from four
stations in the Atoll. They belonged to 2 classes, 11orders, 43 families and 93 genera. Six species belonged to the class
Chondreichthyes and 197 species to Osteichthyes. Family Pomacentridae showed maximum abundance of species (22%).
Station I, having close proximity to the coral reefs, observed the maximum number of families (37) and species (129) and
that with minimum number was in station II (23 families and 52 species). Bray-Curtis similarity plot showed a similarity
range of 22 to 52%, seasonally. Station I showed highest Shannon-Wiener diversity index (H’log2) (4.22) during August and
the lowest (2.91) during June. Stations I and III showed comparatively higher abundance and diversity of fishes. Variability
in seagrass habitat structure and the interaction with coral reefs influenced the species composition and diversity of fishes in
Minicoy Atoll. The findings of the present investigation can be used as baseline information for the fishery resource
management of the region
Description:
Indian Journal of Geo-Marine Sciences
Vol. 42(3), June 2013, pp. 349-359