Gulf of Mannar Ecosystem (GOME) covers an area spread over
Rameswaram and Kanyakumari for about 19000 km2 and lies between
78°11’E and 79°15’ E longitude and 8°49’N and 9°15’N latitude. The
21 coral islands form a network of habitats for different kinds of fishes
and marine organisms. Fish samples were collected during April 2005
to March 2010 from different centers viz., Vembar, Tharuvaikulam,
Vellapatti, Therespuram, Tuticorin, Alangarathattu, Pazhaykayal,
Punnakayal, Kayalpattinam, Veerapandiapattinam, Thiruchendur and
Manappad of Gulf of Mannar ecosystem. The present check list was
the first attempt to produce a systematic list of fishes found in the Gulf
of Mannar ecosystem. It includes 476 genera and 1182 species in 144
families and 39 orders, of which 628 species have been recorded in
the present study
