Taxonomic Diversity of Fish Assemblages in the Pearl River Estuary, Southern China

Abstract

The Pearl River Estuary (PRE), an important place provides natural spawning ground and migration channel to multiple fish species located in the northern South China Sea. Keeping in mind limited data available on the taxonomic diversity of fishes from this region, we compiled time-series data on fish species from the PRE collected since the 1980s, and analyze diversity at different taxonomic levels using an inclusion index at the taxonomic level, and indexes of taxonomic diversity. Species inventory includes 18 orders, 79 families and 167 genera. Average numbers of (families, genera, species), (genera, species), and (species) per order, family, and genus, (4.39, 9.28, 14.94), (2.11, 3.41), and (1.61) were recorded. An average taxonomic distinctness of 75.0, and variation in taxonomic distinctness 99.8 were calculated. Whereas, an average taxonomic distinctness reveals genetic relationships between PRE fish species to be closer than in the East China Sea continental shelf (65.7) and Daya Bay (62.2), and more distant for the Dongsha Islands (55.2). Based on the overall results of the present study it is concluded that species abundance and taxonomic diversities in the PRE reflects healthy ecosystem of PRE.