Distribution, Abundance and Diversity of Wrasses (Family Labridae) Along Sharm El-Sheikh Coast, Red Sea

This study examines the distribution, abundance and diversity of wrasse fishes (family Labridae) on reef
flat and reef slope along 70 km of Sharm El-Sheikh coast, Red Sea. The total number of species was 30
species belonging to 15 genera. The average number of species was higher on the reef slope than on the
reef flat, but individual numbers were higher on the reef flat than on the slope; (due to schooling of one
small fish of one species on reef flat, Klunzinger’s wrasse: Thalassoma rueppellii). This species was the
most abundant species (185.0 fish/600 m3), followed by the cleaner wrasse, Labroides dimidiatus (11.7
fish/600 m3). Over all sites, four species (Gomphosus coeruleus, L. dimidiatus, Pseudocheilinus
hexataenia and T. rueppellii) were recorded frequently and regularly. Generally, there was no clear
zonation preference in the distribution of wrasses: but some species (e.g. T. rueppellii) preferred the reef
flat habitat, others preferred the reef slope habitat (e.g. G. coeruleus and Larabicus quadrilineatus). The
other species have roved frequently in all zones, but most of them occur frequently on reef slope. Two
species only were found at inner reef flat in the study area, while the mid reef flat were dominated by 7
species, finally outer reef flat have 16 species of labrid fishes. All recorded species were found on the
reef slope. Both the invertebrate-feeder and omnivores were most abundant in the area of study. They
represented by 83.3 % of total fish population on Sharm El-Sheikh Reefs.