Fishes of the Dampier Archipelago, Western Australia

WA Museum Records and Supplements | Updated 7 years ago

ABSTRACT – The shallow-water fish fauna of the Dampier Archipelago (to a depth of 30 m), which now totals 650 species, consists of a rich coral reef fauna (465 species), a moderate mangrove one (116 species), smaller numbers of soft bottom inhabitants (106 species) and a relatively low number of pelagic species (67). The outer islands are inhabited predominantly by coral reef fishes whereas inner areas close to the mainland are occupied by mangrove and silty-bottom dwellers. The inter-island passages have a relatively rich soft bottom fauna. Species diversity is at its highest in areas of high topographic diversity, the area with the highest diversities lying along the exposed northern perimeter of the archipelago. These more off-shore areas are apparently under the direct influence of the off-shore flowing, warm Leeuwin Current, where water clarity is high and propagules from upstream locations, such as the Rowley Shoals, are deposited. The more in-shore areas are affected by high turbidity resulting from mangrove communities and high freshwater runoff during cyclonic events. The fish fauna of the archipelago is closely related to that occurring at the more off-shore Monte Bello Islands, but is noticeably less diverse than the islands of the West Pilbara region to the south. Some elements of the Kimberley fish fauna also inhabit the archipelago.