Journal
MARINE BIOLOGY RESEARCH
Volume 11, Issue 1, Pages 49-61Publisher
TAYLOR & FRANCIS AS
DOI: 10.1080/17451000.2014.889306
Keywords
Biogeography; dispersal capability; ichthyofauna; Macaronesia; Selvagens Islands
Categories
Funding
- EMEPC
- Task Group for the Extension of the Continental Shelf under the Portuguese Ministry of National Defence, Eco-Ethology Research Unit [331/94]
- Fundacao para a Ciencia e Tecnologia
- FEDER
- Portuguese Science and Technology Foundation (FCT) [SFRH/BPD/63170/2009, SFRH/BD/46286/2008, SFRH/BD/47034/2008, SFRH/BD/46639/2008, SFRH/BD/64395/2009, SFRH/BD/41262/2007, BD/47055/2008, PTDC/MAR/71927/2006]
- FPU scholarship from the Spanish Minister of Science and Technology
- Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia [SFRH/BD/41262/2007, PTDC/MAR/71927/2006, SFRH/BD/46286/2008, SFRH/BD/46639/2008, SFRH/BD/47034/2008, SFRH/BD/64395/2009] Funding Source: FCT
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The Selvagens Islands are located in the northeastern Atlantic between the Canary Islands and Madeira Island. As a result of their small size, remote location and harsh sea conditions only a few studies have been conducted to describe their marine species diversity. We were able to identify 29 new coastal fish species, an increase of 33% in the ichthyofauna described for these islands (n = 88). There is a prevalence of species with tropical affinities and only 2.3% (n = 2) are endemic to Macaronesia. Considered a stepping-stone colonization vector from the nearest continental shore, as proposed by other authors for this region, the Selvagens Islands host 34.1% of the ichthyofauna described for the much larger Canary Islands (n(species) = 258, submerged area n(SelvagensIs.) = 2.3%) and 47.3% of the ichthyofauna described for the more distantly located Madeira Island (n(species) = 186, submerged area n(SelvagensIs.) = 17.9%). Interestingly, 6.8% (n = 6) of the species failed to bridge the gap between the Selvagens Islands and Madeira Island. Data collected so far showed no trend toward an increasing number of species with high dispersal capability. The Selvagens Islands are an example of a high coastal species diversity occurring even in very small areas of the northeastern Atlantic Ocean.
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