The fish fauna of a Halopila stipulacea meadow was studied in the Peninsula of Maddalena (Eastern Sicily, Italy; Mediterranean). Visual censuses were conducted every three months from October 1998 to July 1999 and from October 2003 to July 2004. Environmental variables for water temperature, salinity and seagrass shoot density were collected on each sampling occasion. A total of 30 fish species from eight families were recorded. Three labrids and sparids, two serranids and one mullid were detected with high frequency of occurrence (> 75%), while Sarpa salpa, Coris julis, Oblada melanura, Mullus surmuletus and Thalassoma pavo were the most abundant species. Diversity index and density values displayed a distinct seasonal pattern with highest values occurring in summer and autumn. These community variables were positively related to water temperature, but not to salinity and shoot density. Differences were also found in the relationships between the relative abundances of two species (Oblada melanura and Serranus cabrilla) and water temperature. Multivariate analysis revealed variation in species composition of the fish community throughout the year. The data show that the fish fauna of the Halophila stipulacea meadow of the Peninsula of Maddalena was characterised by a seasonal variation of the community structure, probably mainly influenced by the fluctuations of environmental variables. The presence of small and juvenile fishes of a number of species emphasises the potentially important function of nursery exerted by such seagrass systems during the first phases of the life history of several species.Original Abstract: Communaute de poissons associee a l'herbier a Halophila stipulacea (Mediterranee). L'ichtyofaune d'un herbier a Halophila stipulacea a ete etudiee dans la peninsule de la Maddalena (Sicile orientale, Italie, Mediterranee). Des recensements visuels ont ete conduits tous les mois d'octobre 1998 a juillet 1999 et d'octobre 2003 a juillet 2004. Les variables environnementales (temperature, salinite et densite des faisceaux foliaires) ont ete collectees a chaque echantillonnage. Un total de 30 especes de poissons appartenant a 8 familles differentes a ete recense. Trois Labridae et Sparidae, deux Serranidae et un Mullidae ont ete recenses avec une haute frequence d'occurrence (> 75 %), tandis que Sarpa salpa, Coris julis, Oblada melanura, Mullus surmuletus et Thalassoma pavo etaient les especes plus abondantes. L'indice de diversite et les valeurs de densite ont montre un schema saisonnier distinct, avec des valeurs plus hautes en ete et en automne. Cette variabilite des communautes a ete reliee positivement a la temperature de l'eau, mais pas a la salinite ni a la densite des faisceaux foliaires. Des differences ont ete detectees dans les relations entre l'abondance relative de deux especes de poissons (Oblada melanura et Serranus cabrilla) et la temperature de l'eau. Les analyses multivariees ont revele des variations dans la composition specifique de la communaute de poissons au cours de l'annee. L'ichtyofaune de l'herbier a Halophila stipulacea de la peninsule de la Maddalena est caracterisee par une variation saisonniere, probablement surtout influencee par les fluctuations des variables environnementales. La presence d'individus de petite taille et de juveniles de nombreuses especes souligne la fonction de nourricerie potentiellement importante exercee par l'herbier durant les premieres phases de l'histoire de la vie de plusieurs especes de poissons.