Systematic list and biogeographic aspects of the fish community of a coastal lagoon in northwestern Mexico

Abstract

The Guasimas coastal lagoon, located in the central portion of the Gulf of California, is ranked as a Ramsar site, it has a high fishing activity and hosts a large icthyofauna which is presented in this systematic list. 96 species represented by 16 orders, 38 families and 67 genera are included. The specimens were collected for seven seasonal sampling campaigns (fall 2010, spring 2011, summer 2011, fall 2011, winter 2012, spring 2012 and summer 2012) using three fishing gears: cast net, gill net and trawl net. Two are the best represented families by its number of species, Carangidae and Sciaenidae. Three endemic species of the Gulf of California ( Micropogonias megalops , Leuresthes sardina and Pleuronichthys ocellatus ) were identified. Biogeographic affinity analyzes showed results that indicating a high dominance of species distributed in the Eastern Tropical Pacific (Cortez and Panamic Province) and transitional species between the Province of California and the Eastern Tropical Pacific (ETP). Were further identified a cosmopolitan species ( Mugil cephalus ), an anfiamericana ( Etropus crossotus ) and another circumtropical ( Mugil curema ). The species recorded in this study, have a wide distribution in tropical and subtropical environments associated with soft bottoms.