Coastal fish diversity of the Socotra Archipelago, Yemen

The Socotra Archipelago, Yemen, emerges as a significant hotspot of coastal fish diversity in the Indian Ocean. This study identifies 733 faunal records across 108 families, with an estimated total richness of up to 875 species, surpassing adjacent Arabian ecoregions and even rivaling the entire Red Sea in family richness for several groups like Acanthuridae, Chaetodontidae, Labridae, Pomacentridae, and Pseudochromidae. The archipelago's unique marine environment, blending tropical and 'pseudo-temperate' elements, supports diverse coral-associated species despite limited biogenic reefs. Fish diversity varies significantly across the archipelago, with Socotra Island exhibiting the highest richness, followed by Abd al-Kuri & Kal Farun and Darsa & Samha. The study combines a Preliminary Checklist of 682 confirmed species with a Working List of 51 additional records, employing incidence-based richness models and expert opinion to extrapolate total diversity.

ZAJONZ, U., LAVERGNE, E., BOGORODSKY, S. V., SAEED, F. N., AIDEED, M. S., & KRUPP, F. (2019). Coastal fish diversity of the Socotra Archipelago, Yemen. Zootaxa, 4636(1). https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4636.1.1