Shore fishes of the Marquesas Islands, an updated checklist with new records and new percentage of endemic species

A comprehensive survey of shore fishes in the Marquesas Islands, part of Te Henua Enata – The Marquesas Islands UNESCO World Heritage Site, reveals a significant increase in species diversity and endemism. The study, conducted during Expedition Pakaihi I Te Moana in 2011, identified 74 new fish species for the region, bringing the total coastal fish fauna to 495 species. This marks a substantial rise from previous records, with endemic species increasing from 48 to 68, elevating the percentage of species-level endemism to 13.7%. This figure ranks the Marquesas Islands as the third highest region for coral reef fish endemism in the Indo-Pacific, surpassed only by the Hawaiian Islands and Easter Island. The research combined extensive collections with visual censuses, providing a robust dataset that underscores the unique biodiversity of this remote Polynesian archipelago.

Delrieu-Trottin, E., Williams, J. T., Bacchet, P., Kulbicki, M., Mourier, J., Galzin, R., Lison de Loma, T., Mou-Tham, G., Siu, G., & Planes, S. (2015). Shore fishes of the Marquesas Islands, an updated checklist with new records and new percentage of endemic species. Check List, 11(5), 1758. https://doi.org/10.15560/11.5.1758