Distribution and zonation of Goatfishes (Family: Mullidae) inhabiting the Northern Red Sea, South Sinai, Egypt

Goatfish species are among the most common species of the Red Sea reef communities; however, there are only few attempts to describe the distribution of them in the Red Sea. The main aim of the study is to shed light on some ecological features of the Goatfish inhabiting the Red Sea reef. Observations were conducted along the eastern coast of Sinai Peninsula, South Sinai, Red Sea, Egypt. Visual census transects were established with timed swims along the study sites which were divided into three sections: the northern sites, the middle sites, and the southern sites. Six species of goatfishes were recorded (Parupeneus cyclostomus, P. macronima, P. indicus, P. forsskali, Mulloidichthys Vanicolensis, M. flavolineatus). P. macronima had the highest abundance, while M. flavolineatus had the lowest at all sites. In general, the number of species is not influenced by the sites (p = 0.774), while the number of individuals varied significantly among sites (p = 0.065). The zones have significant effect on the abundance of species, as the number of individuals was higher in the reef slope than in the reef flat (P = 0.060), and the number of species was also higher on the reef slope than the reef flat (p = 0.071). Sizes of goatfish individuals were bigger in the reef slope than the reef flat, but not in a significant way (p = 0.182).