Preliminary survey and diet analysis of seagrass bed fishes at Mauritius, western Indian Ocean

Abstract

Fish faunas and diets were examined in Halodule uninervis- and Syringodium isoetifolium-dominated seagrass beds at Mauritius, western Indian Ocean, in March 2002. A total of 37 fish species (representing 16 families) were collected, 26 (14 families) of them occurring in the H. uninervis-bed and 26 (13 families) in the S. isoetifolium-bed, with 15 (10 families) common to both beds. Fishes were mainly juveniles, dominant families with regard to both species and individual numbers being Apogonidae, Mullidae, Labridae, Scaridae and Gobiidae. Zoobenthivores comprised the most dominant feeding type in both seagrass beds, harpacticoid copepods and gammaridean amphipods being the most important food resources for those fishes.