A study documenting deep coral reef fish communities composed exclusively of fish unique to Hawaii, which represents a globally significant reservoir of biodiversity, was recently published in the scientific journal Marine Biodiversity.
Scientists refer to species with restricted geographic ranges as endemic species. Hawaiian endemics are those species that are only found in Hawaii and nowhere else.
“This (is) the highest level of endemism recorded from any marine ecosystem on Earth,” said Randall Kosaki, PhD., first author on the study and NOAA’s Office of National Marine Sanctuaries deputy superintendent for Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument. “Hawaii’s one of the most remote archipelagos on our planet, so we have many, many species here that are not found anywhere else.”
Fish communities referenced in the study were documented at depths of 300 feet at Kure Atoll, the northernmost of the remote, uninhabited Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, part of Papahanaumokuakea. Kure Atoll lies about 1,300 miles northwest of Honolulu.
The discovery was made on a research expedition aboard NOAA Ship Hiialakai last fall. Divers using advanced closed-circuit rebreather dive technology conducted dives at depths far beyond the range of most scientific or recreational scuba divers.
Deep coral reefs at depths of 150-450 feet, also known as “the coral reef twilight zone,” are among the most poorly explored of all marine ecosystems. Deeper than most scuba divers can venture, and shallower than most submersible-based exploration, these reefs represent a new frontier for coral reef research.
The article, “100% Endemism in Mesophotic Reef Fish Assemblages at Kure Atoll, Hawaiian Islands,” can be accessed online at http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12526-016-0510-5.