FISH FAUNA OF SEAGRASS BEDS IN SOUTH SULAWESI, INDONESIA

WA Museum Records and Supplements | Updated 1 decade ago

Abstract - The composition of the fish communities associated with two different seagrass habitats in South Sulawesi (Indonesia) was studied by making representative collections with the chemical ichthyocide rotenone. A eoastal sea grass bed on an intertidal mudbank and a seagrass meadow on a shallow reef flat of a coral island had different fish communities. Both habitats wcre equally rich in species (26 and 27 species respectively). The coastal seagrass fish community was dominated by estuarine-dependent species, whereas reef-dependent fish species dominated in the meadow on the recf flat. Only a few species could be regarded as specific to the seagrass habitat. Potential significance of the seagrass habitats as nursery areas for fishes was indicated by the numbers of juveniles of sevcral species, including some of economic importance.