A Comparison of the Mangrove and the Coral Reef Ecosystems with Reference to Fishes

Some 660 species of coral ecosystem related fishes occur in Indian region. Coral formations of oceanic islands associated with mangroves (Andaman region in the Bay of Bengal) possess comparatively less number of coral fish species (292 spp.) than the coral formations devoid of mangroves (Laccadive region in Arabian Sea with 447 spp.). Of the 675 species of fishes reported from the world mangroves, about 160 species are coral fishes. They include 93 species from Indo-Malayan mangroves, 38 species from South African mangroves, 29 species from Australasian mangroves and 35 species from New World mangroves.