Fisheries Research Articles
New records of marine fishes illustrate the biogeographic importance of Christmas Island, Indian Ocean
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
4-9-2010
Journal Title
Zootaxa
ISSN
Print: 1175-5326 Electronic: 1175-5334
Keywords
Fish, Christmas Island, Indian Ocean
Disciplines
Aquaculture and Fisheries | Marine Biology | Natural Resources and Conservation | Natural Resources Management and Policy | Oceanography | Physical and Environmental Geography | Population Biology | Sustainability | Terrestrial and Aquatic Ecology
Abstract
Christmas Island is situated in the tropical eastern Indian Ocean on a biogeographic border where Indian and Pacific Ocean faunas meet. Detailed field studies in 2004, 2007 and 2008, of the island’s fish fauna revealed 30 new records from 15 families. For six families (Dasyatidae, Chanidae, Bramidae, Mugilidae, Siganidae, Molidae) this is the first time a species has been recorded at Christmas Island. Many of the newly recorded fishes appear to have recently colonised the island, and establishing populations will be dependent on the availability of suitable habitat and conspecific mates. These new records illustrate that Christmas Island is important for range expansion because it serves as a critical stepping-stone in the dispersal of Pacific Ocean species into the Indian Ocean and vice versa. Contact between Indian and Pacific Ocean sister species has also resulted in hybridisation at Christmas Island.
Recommended Citation
Hobbs, J A,
Ayling, A M,
Choat, J H,
Gilligan, J J,
McDonald, C A,
Neilson, J,
and
Newman, S J.
(2010), New records of marine fishes illustrate the biogeographic importance of Christmas Island, Indian Ocean. Zootaxa, 2422 (1), 63-68.
https://library.dpird.wa.gov.au/fr_fja/376
