Depth Distribution and Abundance of Northern Adriatic Littoral Rocky Reef Blennioid Fishes (Blenniidae and Tripterygion) |
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| Authors: | Ingeborg P Illich Kurt Kotrschal |
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| Institution: | Haus dcr Natur, Museumsplatz, A-5020 Salzburg, Austria.;Zoologischcs Institut dcr Univcrsitat Salzburg, HcllbrunncrstraBe 34, A-5020 Salzburg, Austria. |
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| Abstract: | Abstract. Species' depth distributions and abundances were visually assessed along 24 transects in a northern Adriatic assemblage of blennioid fishes (14 species of Blenniidae , 1 species of Triptery-giidue). Total abundance of blennioids was highest in 0.5-1 m depth, decreasing upwards and downwards. Species diversity (S hannon -W iener ) is highest at the shallowest depth (0-0.5 in). The curybathic species Parablennius incognitus, Lipophrys dalmatinus, Tripterygion tripteronotus , and Parablennius tentacularis were most abundant at all depths (relative to the species investigated). All stenobathic species were most abundant at 0-0.5 m. Depth distribution patterns and abundance ranks of species were similar at western, eastern, southern, and northern transects. |
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| Keywords: | Bcnthic fish assemblage habitat utilization Mediterranean resource partitioning visual census |
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