Determinants of community structure for coral reef fishes in isolated coral heads at lagoonal and reef slope sites

Summary Ten small isolated corals were selected as units, of habitat in each of two nearby reef sites-a lagoon and a reef slope. On six occasions over two years we collected all fishes resident in each of these corals. Collections yielded 827 fishes of 64 species from the lagoon and 525 fishes of 66 species from the slope, but at each site 12 common species comprised over 80% of the fishes collected. We examined the distribution of species of fishes among units of habitat to assess the extent to which partitioning of habitat was being carried out. Results are compared with others previously reported from a reef flat site. Species discriminated among different types of habitat offered, but to a different degree in each site. Discrimination was most pronounced at the slope site where 7 of the 12 commonest species did not occur in all three types of habitat offered, and least at the lagoon site where no common species failed to occupy both types of habitat offered. No temporal partitioning of habitat could be demonstrated. Fish did not distribute themselves among units of habitat of one type by means of precise microhabitat discrimination. No pair of species in either site could be shown to mutually avoid, or exclude one another from habitat units. At all three sites, chance patterns of recruitment and loss overwhelmingly determined species composition of the groups of fishes coexisting in single habitat units. The significance of these results for our understanding of the ecology of coral reef fishes is discussed.