Coral Communities and Associated Fauna

Within the EAME 16 important coral sites were identified, with none ranked as globally important, although six were ranked as being of ecoregional importance. The Songo-Songo-Kilwa reefs, the Quirimbas Archipelago and the Primeiras and Segundas Islands were considered to support representative reef systems with high genera and species diversity and important as source areas. The Kiunga-Lamu-Tenewi reefs and those of the Bazaruto area are located in transition areas in the northern and southern extremities of coral growth within the ecoregion with possibilities of unusual communities, significant levels of endemism and ongoing speciation. Pemba Island (Tanzania) was selected because of its oceanic location, steep reefs with high diversity and coral growth reported at 64 m depth. Nine sites that included a diverse range of reef formations and species assemblages were ranked of subregional importance. The Bilene-Maputo area, being largely unknown could not be ranked, however its reportedly deep water rocky reef formations dominated by sea fans and gorgonians were considered possibly unique in the region. Clearly, this area deserves further study. The biological features of the 16 sites are summarised in the table below.

Summary of important coral community sites and their associated fauna

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