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<p>Wrasses (family Labridae) occupy a wide range of ecological niches, and although they are ubiquitous, their partitioning over large spatial and temporal scales is poorly understood. In this study, we surveyed the reef slope of 71 reefs between 9°S and 24°S along the Great Barrier Reef (GBR) to examine wrasse assemblages and benthic habitat associations. Seventy-two wrasse species from 24 genera were recorded. Most were widely distributed but relatively rare, with only a few exhibiting particularly high abundances or restricted distributions. Twenty-seven species accounted for 97% of the total wrasse density, and <i>Cirrhilabrus punctatus</i> was the single most abundant species. Distinct wrasse communities were observed on inner and outer shelf reefs, while mid-shelf reefs had high species overlap with both and generally contained the highest densities. However, there was substantial variation across the GBR, especially in the central region where both the highest (495 individuals 1000&#xa0;m<sup>−2</sup>) and lowest (40 individuals 1000&#xa0;m<sup>−2</sup>) densities occurred. Assemblages were primarily structured by the underlying benthic habitat rather than shelf position or latitudinal sector, and habitat associations varied among species. Patterns in density and distribution of nine species monitored over 29&#xa0;years were surprisingly stable, with the few changes generally following oscillations in coral cover. We found no significant effect of no-take marine reserves on wrasse densities; fished and unfished reefs had almost identical wrasse communities and densities. This study provides the first comprehensive overview of wrasse assemblages on the GBR and describes how inter-species differences drive trends of wrasse distribution, densities, and substrate associations. </p>

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Multiple spatial scales and habitat composition drive wrasse distributions on the Great Barrier Reef

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2026年3月16日

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  • Carmen J. Ritter,
  • Daniela M. Ceccarelli,
  • Tane Sinclair-Taylor,
  • Makeely I. Blandford,
  • Andrew Cole,
  • Murray Logan,
  • Michael J. Emslie

摘要

Wrasses (family Labridae) occupy a wide range of ecological niches, and although they are ubiquitous, their partitioning over large spatial and temporal scales is poorly understood. In this study, we surveyed the reef slope of 71 reefs between 9°S and 24°S along the Great Barrier Reef (GBR) to examine wrasse assemblages and benthic habitat associations. Seventy-two wrasse species from 24 genera were recorded. Most were widely distributed but relatively rare, with only a few exhibiting particularly high abundances or restricted distributions. Twenty-seven species accounted for 97% of the total wrasse density, and Cirrhilabrus punctatus was the single most abundant species. Distinct wrasse communities were observed on inner and outer shelf reefs, while mid-shelf reefs had high species overlap with both and generally contained the highest densities. However, there was substantial variation across the GBR, especially in the central region where both the highest (495 individuals 1000 m−2) and lowest (40 individuals 1000 m−2) densities occurred. Assemblages were primarily structured by the underlying benthic habitat rather than shelf position or latitudinal sector, and habitat associations varied among species. Patterns in density and distribution of nine species monitored over 29 years were surprisingly stable, with the few changes generally following oscillations in coral cover. We found no significant effect of no-take marine reserves on wrasse densities; fished and unfished reefs had almost identical wrasse communities and densities. This study provides the first comprehensive overview of wrasse assemblages on the GBR and describes how inter-species differences drive trends of wrasse distribution, densities, and substrate associations.