Shallow-water marine gammaridean amphipods of Mauritius Island

Over 34 000 specimens of marine gammaridean amphipods were collected from 34 sites of varying wave exposure in the intertidal/shallow subtidal zones of Mauritius (19 degrees 59/-20 degrees 32'S 57 degrees 18'-57 degrees 47'E, Indian Ocean) in April to July, 1995. Substrates included algae, seagrass, coral, sand, and sponges. Sixty-nine species are reported, 41 of which are new records for the island; 19 species are undescribed. One hundred-and-thirty species are now known from Mauritius and of these 32% appear to be endemic. Many Mauritian amphipods are widely distributed in the Indo-Pacific. Fifty-seven percent of the Mauritian amphipods are shared with Madagascar (the closest large land mass). The numbers of species in amphipod families in Mauritius are comparable with those of Hawaii and Fiji.