Community structure and microhabitat associations of cryptobenthic reef fishes in Veracruz, Mexico

Local habitat availability can strongly affect animal communities. On coral reefs, the biodiversity of small, bottom-dwelling (‘cryptobenthic’) reef fishes and drivers of their community assembly have yet to be explored in many locations. Here, we investigate how local and regional factors shape the...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Coral reefs Vol. 44; no. 6; pp. 2011 - 2028
Main Authors: Rivera-Higueras, Mariana, Hemingson, Christopher R., Pouchoulen Alemán, Aurora de Monserrat, Cipolla, Kyra Jean M., Souza, Philip M., Brandl, Simon J.
Format: Journal Article
Language:English
Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer Berlin Heidelberg 01.12.2025
Springer Nature B.V
Subjects:
Abundance
Algae
Availability
Benthos
Biodiversity
Biomedical and Life Sciences
Cavernicolous species
Caves
Community composition
Community structure
Composition
Coral reefs
Corals
Ecological distribution
Elacatinus
Endemic species
Fish
Freshwater & Marine Ecology
Habitat availability
Habitats
Indicator organisms
Indicator species
Life Sciences
Marine fishes
Microenvironments
Microhabitat
Microhabitats
National parks
Oceanography
Outcrops
Reef fish
Reef fishes
Scales
Specialization
Species extinction
Species richness
Taxonomy
Threatened species
Electivity index
Community ecology
Gobiidae
Biodiversity
Niche breadth
Ecological specialization
ISSN:0722-4028, 1432-0975
Online Access:Get full text
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Summary:Local habitat availability can strongly affect animal communities. On coral reefs, the biodiversity of small, bottom-dwelling (‘cryptobenthic’) reef fishes and drivers of their community assembly have yet to be explored in many locations. Here, we investigate how local and regional factors shape the structure and composition of cryptobenthic reef fish communities in the Veracruz Reef System National Park (VRS) in the Gulf of Mexico (GoM). Focusing on five reefs in the VRS, we surveyed cryptobenthic reef fish communities at scales of reef outcrops (~ 3–5 m 2 ) and isolated microhabitats, while also quantifying the benthic composition of each reef to determine microhabitat availability. We found no significant differences in species richness or abundance across park regions and reef zones, but community composition differed qualitatively across reef zones. Furthermore, we discovered strong differences in cryptobenthic reef fishes’ preferences for various microhabitats, which are likely to drive community assembly and provide evidence for species-specific vulnerabilities to reef degradation. Caves harbored the highest biodiversity and abundance of cryptobenthic fishes, while gorgonian soft corals and algae supported the fewest species and individuals. The endemic gobies Tigrigobius redimiculus and Elacatinus jarocho both showed high abundance and occurrence but displayed opposite patterns of microhabitat specialization; T. redimiculus was categorized as a microhabitat generalist, while E. jarocho was revealed as a cave-dwelling specialist species. Overall, our quantitative exploration of the cryptobenthic reef fish community in the southwest GoM provides a crucial baseline for habitat and biodiversity monitoring in the region and highlights E. jarocho as an emblematic, endemic indicator species that will be vulnerable to extinction if further reduction of habitat complexity occurs.
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ISSN:0722-4028
1432-0975
DOI:10.1007/s00338-025-02763-1