Composition, abundance and diversity of coral reef fishes at two sites in Mochima National Park, Venezuela

Abstract

The composition, abundance and diversity of fishes in two reef patches located in Mochima National Park (Venezuela) were analyzed from January 2001 to January 2002. Monthly captures were made in deep zones. A total of 829 individuals were found and 67 species were recorded, of which 25 were common to both localities. In Cautaro, 547 specimens, belonging to 51 species and 24 families, were caught. The most abundant families were Scaridae (39.31%), Chaetodontidae (17.18%), Pomacentridae (13.89%), and Haemulidae (11.71%). Diversity ranged from 0.68 to 3.21 bits/ind, evenness from 0.29 to 0.98, and species richness from 0.68 to 2.24. Five of the species were permanent residents, seven were recurrent visitors and thirty-nine were occasional visitors. The most abundant species were Sparisoma aurofrenatum (39.31%), Chaetodon capistratus (16.27%) and Abudefduf saxatilis (13.89%). In Manzanillo, 282 specimens, belonging to 41 species and 21 families, were caught. The most numerous families were Sparidae (23.76%), Haemulidae (16.31%), and Chaetodontidae (11.70%). Diversity ranged from 1.00 to 3.22 bits/ind, evenness from 0.5 to 1, and species richness from 0.95 to 2.50. Three of the species were permanent residents, eight were recurrent visitors and thirty were occasional visitors. The most abundant species were Diplodus argenteus (23.76%), C. capistratus (11.70%), and Haemulon flavolineatum (11.34%). The higher species diversity found in Cautaro than in Manzanillo could be due to the higher structural complexity of the former.