Preliminary investigations on the Ichthyodiversity of Kilifi Creek, Kenya

Abstract

In order to determine fish spatial variation, the Kilifi Creek was divided into three
sampling zones: entrance, middle zone, and Creek end. Sampling was by both gill and cast
nets. Hill's diversity indices were used as a measure of spatial diversity variance. A total of 95 species from 45 families were recorded. Gerres filamentosus, Pomadasys multimaculatum, Leiognathus equula, and Terapon theraps occurred commonly. Highest species richness (No = 68) and diversity (N1 = 31.09) was recorded at the entrance and Creek middle respectively. Most of the species overlap with the highest overlap index (L = 2.52) recorded between Cynoglossus gilchristi and Scombroides lysan. The creek's ichthyodiversity show considerable variability, with the high richness at the entrance attributed to the presence of open water visitor species. The high number of species compares well to records from Gazi Bay and Mida Creek with some species not found further south.

Keywords: ichthyodiveristy, hill's indices, Kilifi creek

West Indian Ocean Journal of Marine Science Vol. 4 (1) 2005: pp. 11-20