Population maintenance among tropical reef fishes: Inferences from small-island endemics

To what extent do local populations of tropical reef fishes persist through the recruitment of pelagic larvae to their natal reef? Endemics from small , isolated islands can help answer that question by indicating whether spec ial biological attributes are needed for long-term survival under enforced localization in high-risk situations. Taxonomically and biologically, the e ndemics from seven such islands are broadly representative of their regiona l faunas. As natal-site recruitment occurs among reef fishes in much less i solated situations, these characteristics of island endemics indicate that a wide range of reef fishes could have persistent self-sustaining local pop ulations. Because small islands regularly support substantial reef fish fau nas, regional systems of small reserves could preserve much of the diversit y of these fishes.