Stomatopods of the genus Squilla (Hoplocarida: Stomatopoda: Squillidae) collected off the coast of Sinaloa, SE Gulf of California, Mexico, during the CEEMEX C1-C2-C3 cruises

Abstract

A series of stomatopod specimens belonging to the family Squillidae was obtained during sampling operations off the coast of Sinaloa (Mexico) in 1990, during three exploratory cruises. A total of 466 specimens were captured with commercial otter trawls used in the shrimp fishery, between 9 and 128 m depth. All specimens belonged to the genus Squilla and were collected in 34 of the 62 sampling stations. The same four species were collected during each cruise: Squilla hancocki (231 specimens), S. panamensis (114), S. mantoidea (97) and S. parva (24). All trawls considered, the sex ratio (M:F) was 1.34:1 for S. hancocki, 1.72:1 for S. mantoidea and 1.23:1 for S. panamensis. Adult and subadult sizes were well represented in the samples considering the known maximum size (total length) of each species. Of the 34 trawls with stomatopods, 15 (44%) contained only one species, 15 (44%) two species and 4 (12%) three species; no sample contained all four species. No geographic distribution pattern was detected in regard to the distribution of the sampling stations with the highest number of species.