Journal of the Royal Society of New Zealand abstracts

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Biogeography of near-shore reef fishes in northern New Zealand

F. J. Brook

Department of Conservation, P.O. Box 842, Whangarei, New Zealand.

Abstract  Species composition and richness of near-shore reef fish faunas around northern New Zealand were examined at different spatial scales. This comparison indicated a primary subdivision of faunas into three regional biogeographic groups: western North Island coast; north-eastern North Island coast and offshore islands; and Three Kings Islands. The western North Island reef fish fauna had low species richness, a predominance of widespread species over warm temperate species, and lacked subtropical and tropical species. North-eastern North Island and Three Kings faunas were richer, and incorporated mixes of widespread, warm temperate, subtropical, and rare tropical fish. Some frequent north-eastern North Island species were absent or rare in the Three Kings fauna; conversely, some species that were frequent at the Three Kings, including the restricted endemic Odax cyanoallix, were rare on the north-eastern North Island coast. The reef fish fauna of north-eastern Northland was further subdivided into three ecological-biogeographic subgroups, representing species assemblages of: headlands and islands strongly influenced by oceanic watermasses; open coasts predominantly influenced by coastal watermasses; and harbours and sheltered bays. Overall species richness and numbers of subtropical-tropical species were highest in the first subgroup, intermediate in the second, and lowest in the last-mentioned. The species assemblages of harbours and sheltered bays in north-eastern Northland had similar composition and richness to harbour and exposed open coast assemblages in western Northland.

Keywords  reef fish; diversity; species associations; warm temperate; subtropical; biogeography; northern New Zealand; Three Kings Islands; Poor Knights Islands

R00024 Received 7 August 2000; accepted 7 June 2001
© Journal of The Royal Society of New Zealand, Volume 32, Number 2, June 2002, pp 243–274

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