 Fixed-point bound for automorphisms of a compact Riemann surface

A nonidentity holomorphic automorphism of a compact connected Riemann surface of genus $g$ has at most $2g+2$ fixed points. If there were more, choose $g+1$ distinct fixed points and let $D$ be their sum. The Riemann-Roch theorem gives $\ell (D)\ge 2$, so there is a nonconstant meromorphic function with at most simple poles at these points and no other poles. The function $h=f-f\circ \phi$ has at most $g+1$ poles and at least $n-g-1$ zeros at the remaining fixed points. Since a nonzero principal divisor has degree zero, $n>2g+2$ forces $h=0$. At an actual pole fixed by $\phi$, the reciprocal $1/f$ is a local coordinate because its zero is simple. The identity $f=f\circ \phi$ therefore forces $\phi$ to be the identity near that pole, and the identity theorem on a Riemann surface makes it the identity everywhere.