Although coral reefs are renowned biodiversity hotspots it is not known whether they also promote the evolution of exceptional ecomorphological diversity. We investigated this question by analysing a large functional morphological dataset of trophic characters within Labridae, a highly diverse group of fishes. Using an analysis that accounts for species relationships, the time available for diversification and model uncertainty we show that coral reef species have evolved functional morphological diversity twice as fast as non-reef species. In addition, coral reef species occupy 68.6% more trophic morphospace than non-reef species. Our results suggest that coral reef habitats promote the evolution of both trophic novelty and morphological diversity within fishes. Thus, the preservation of coral reefs is necessary, not only to safeguard current biological diversity but also to conserve the underlying mechanisms that can produce functional diversity in future.

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The harvesting of groupers (Serranidae) in Indonesia for the live reef food fish trade (LRFFT) has been ongoing since the late 1980s. Eight sites in Komodo National Park that included two fish spawning aggregation (FSA) sites were monitored for groupers and humphead wrasse, Cheilinus undulatus, from 1998 to 2003 and from 2005 to 2008 to examine temporal changes in abundance and assess the effectiveness of conservation and management efforts. Monitoring identified FSA sites for squaretail coralgrouper, Plectropomus areolatus, and brown-marbled grouper, Epinephelus fuscoguttatus. Both species formed aggregations before and during full moon from September to December, prior to lapses in monitoring (2003–2005) and in enforcement (2004-2005). Following these lapses, data reveal substantial declines in P. areolatus  abundance and the apparent extirpation of one aggregation at one site. Other non-aggregating species targeted by the LRFFT showed similar declines at three of eight monitored sites. This paper highlights the impact of FSA fishing and the need for a seamless monitoring and enforcement protocol in areas where aggregation fishing pressure is high. Within Komodo National Park, local fishers, particularly those operating on behalf of the LRFFT, pose a serious threat to population persistence of species targeted by this trade

DOI

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Reef fishes are an important resource in most countries in the South Pacific (Figure 1). At present there are  still huge gaps in our knowledge of the geographical distribution, biology and ecology of these fishes. Such information is often essential to managers and scientists working on these resources. Much of this information is already available in books or in FISHBASE. However, most of this information is not available per country and is scattered. In addition this information is not easily available for many species. The objective of the present report is to give for 14 South Pacific countries or territories a list of the most common reef fish species and indications on some of their basic life-history traits. The species targeted in this report are commercial species and/or species which are supposed to be ecologically important, but we attempted to include other species as well. Only species found on reefs or strongly associated to reefs are considered. In particular species found inshore in habitats such as mangroves, estuaries or pelagic species are not included. Species living in deeper water (more than 80m) are not considered either (e.g. the deep water Lutjanidae or Serranidae). A limited number of references is provided (globally and for each country) to assist in finding additional information on each species. The species lists in this report should NOT be considered as checklists
The taxonomy used in this report follows the taxonomy used in the 2010 version of FISHBASE. For species not listed in FISHBASE 2010 (recently described species or species waiting for a final status) a reference will be given. Un-described species were not retained. because a number of records could not be verified and the data available for many countries or territories is still very incomplete. In addition a number of species, in particular small and cryptic ones, are not included for most countries. In some instances, when the degree of information was low, some interpolation was performed with the presence/absence from nearby countries in order to indicate for some major species if their presence was likely. A detailed chapter is given for each country or territory (Cook Islands, Federate States of Micronesia, Fiji, Marshall Islands, Nouvelle Calédonie, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Pitcain, Polynésie-Française, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Vanuatu, Wallis et Futuna). These chapters will be either in English or French depending on the official language in these countries. 

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Recent (2010) fieldwork in the Raja Ampat Islands of Indonesia resulted in the collection of seven undescribed species of Trimma, six of which are described here. Two of these are currently only known from these islands, the others are known from other parts of the western Pacific. Trimma cheni n. sp. is distinguished from other species of Trimma in having 8-9 scales in the predorsal midline, 2-3 scales on the opercle, an elongate second dorsal spine reaching posteriorly to the bases of rays 1-4 of the second dorsal fin, middle pectoral fin rays branched, fifth pelvic fin ray branched once, a dark basal stripe in the dorsal fins, scale pockets indistinctly outlined with darker pigment, and, in life, two red to orange bars across the cheek and three diffuse yellow stripes on the body (most obvious along the caudal peduncle). It has been recorded from Palau, the Philippines, and Sulawesi and Flores in Indonesia. Trimma erdmanni n. sp. has a reddish-orange body with a dark red lateral stripe with darker borders on the body which extends anteriorly onto the head, where it bifurcates, and there is a thin longitudinal light stripe below the eye. It usually lacks scales in the predorsal midline, the second spine of the first dorsal is elongated, there are 9 dorsal and 8 anal rays, a single branch in the fifth pelvic fin ray, and 19-22 gill rakers on the first gill arch. The species is known from the Raja Ampat islands, the Hermit Islands and Madang (Papua New Guinea), and from photographs from El Nido, Palawan Island and Davao Gulf, Mindanoro, Philippines. Trimma habrum n. sp. has a bony interorbital width equal to the pupil diameter, 8-9 scales in the predorsal midline, 14 unbranched pectoral fin rays, an unbranched fifth pelvic fin ray, no basal membrane joining the fifth pelvic fin rays across the midline, usually a single full row of cheek scales, and scales on the upper two-thirds of the opercle. The fresh colouration is diagnostic: a pale translucent dorsum with light yellow blotches and the base of each element of the dorsal fin surrounded by a red spot, a thin red bar along the posterior margins of the hypurals, no dark pigment at all on the hypural region of the peduncle, and a darkly pigmented covering to the dorsal margins of the swim bladder, neural sheath, and the brain. It is currently known only from a single collection made at Kerou Island, Fam Islands in Raja Ampat, Indonesia. Trimma haimassum n. sp. is characterized by a relatively deep body, numerous irregular scales with about 30 lateral rows and over 15 scales in the anterior transverse series, a fifth pelvic fin ray that branches twice dichotomously, usually a somewhat elongate second dorsal spine, no predorsal, cheek or opercular scales, a moderately wide bony interorbital with a fleshy median ridge between the eyes, and a dermal ridge anterior to the first dorsal spine. There is a red spot or elongate blotch above the opercle in live and fresh material, and the dorsal surface of the snout has a reticulated dark pattern, with dark transverse stripes over the dorsal margin of the orbit. The species is known from south-western Sulawesi north to Palawan and eastwards to the Solomon Islands. Trimma papayum n. sp. is unique among the described species of the genus in having a one-third pupil diameter black ocellated spot on and just behind the fourth dorsal fin spine. It has 9 dorsal and 8 anal fin rays, a single branch point in the fifth pelvic fin ray, 10-11 anterior and 8-9 posterior transverse scale rows, 5-10 scales in the predorsal midline, and a single row of 3 scales on the upper margin of the opercle. Freshly collected specimens are orange red in overall colouration, with scattered diffuse yellow spots. The species is known only from Indonesia, at Maumere, Flores and Kawe Island, Raja Ampat. Trimma xanthochrum n. sp. is characterized by a wide interorbital region (80-100% pupil diameter), a second dorsal spine usually reaching posteriorly to between the bases of the second to third dorsal fin rays, 15-16 pectoral rays usually with 7-8 branched rays, vertical rows of sensory papillae below eye of 2-3 papillae in rows 1-4 and 4-5 in row 5, a caudal blotch which has a lower half about two-thirds the width of the upper half, and usually an overall yellowish body with yellow at least proximally in the caudal fin. It is currently known with certainty only from the Raja Ampat islands.

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A new species of the genus Trimma is described. Trimma maiandros n. sp. is characterized by having reduced predorsal scales, usually not crossing the midline; a dark ring around the eye and a dark triangular shaped spot extending ventrally and posteriorly from the eye and dark lines forming a zigzag pattern on the upper half of body; a very shallow interorbital groove and shallow or no postorbital groove; scales present on the pectoral and pelvic fin bases but not on the cheeks or opercles; and an unbranched fifth pelvic fin ray that is 25-50% of the length of the fourth ray. Trimma maiandros n. sp. has been found from numerous ocalities from Cocos (Keeling) Islands in the Indian Ocean and from Japan, Marshall and Mariana Islands to Samoa and Australia in the Pacific. Considerable geographical variation occurs in coloration and other morphologicalfeatures, and more than one species may be represented.

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