The reef fish assemblage of a coral reef system in the southwestern Gulf of Mexico
Reef fish species richness of the Veracruz Reef System National Park (VRSNP) in the SW Gulf of Mexico is well known. However, the knowledge of the assemblage structure and its spatial variability in the reef ecosystem is quite limited. For that purpose, 5 field surveys (2012-2015) were performed, u...
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Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México
2022-12-01
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| Series: | Revista Mexicana de Biodiversidad |
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| Online Access: | https://revista.ib.unam.mx/index.php/bio/article/view/4156 |
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| author | Guillermo Horta-Puga Aura Aletse Morales-Aranda José Luis Tello-Musi |
| author_facet | Guillermo Horta-Puga Aura Aletse Morales-Aranda José Luis Tello-Musi |
| author_sort | Guillermo Horta-Puga |
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Reef fish species richness of the Veracruz Reef System National Park (VRSNP) in the SW Gulf of Mexico is well known. However, the knowledge of the assemblage structure and its spatial variability in the reef ecosystem is quite limited. For that purpose, 5 field surveys (2012-2015) were performed, using the stationary visual census method, at 10 selected reefs. The most important findings were: 116 reef species were recorded. Average total reef fish density (2.31 Ind/m2) is similar to the records for the Caribbean reefs in the 20th century. The top 5 most abundant species were: Chromis multilineata, Ocyurus chrysurus, Abudefduf saxatilis, Stegastes leucostictus, and Elacatinus jarocho. We found evidence of a spatial distribution pattern with 3 well-defined groups of reefs: (1) those near the city of Veracruz, (2) those near the outlet of the Jamapa River, and (3) those farther from the city. Higher fish densities are
associated to both high hermatypic coral and low crustose coralline algae bottom covers. The assemblage structure of reef fishes is different at distinct geomorphological reef zones. As expected, with some differences in the species abundance order, the assemblage structure of reef fishes is similar at all coral reefs in the Gulf of Mexico.
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| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-99e7cf0ffd3f49e1971b7631aee22fa3 |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 1870-3453 2007-8706 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2022-12-01 |
| publisher | Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México |
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| series | Revista Mexicana de Biodiversidad |
| spelling | doaj-art-99e7cf0ffd3f49e1971b7631aee22fa32025-08-20T02:31:04ZengUniversidad Nacional Autónoma de MéxicoRevista Mexicana de Biodiversidad1870-34532007-87062022-12-019310.22201/ib.20078706e.2022.93.4156The reef fish assemblage of a coral reef system in the southwestern Gulf of MexicoGuillermo Horta-Puga0Aura Aletse Morales-Aranda1José Luis Tello-Musi2Universidad Nacional Autónoma de MéxicoUniversidad Nacional Autónoma de MéxicoUniversidad Nacional Autónoma de México Reef fish species richness of the Veracruz Reef System National Park (VRSNP) in the SW Gulf of Mexico is well known. However, the knowledge of the assemblage structure and its spatial variability in the reef ecosystem is quite limited. For that purpose, 5 field surveys (2012-2015) were performed, using the stationary visual census method, at 10 selected reefs. The most important findings were: 116 reef species were recorded. Average total reef fish density (2.31 Ind/m2) is similar to the records for the Caribbean reefs in the 20th century. The top 5 most abundant species were: Chromis multilineata, Ocyurus chrysurus, Abudefduf saxatilis, Stegastes leucostictus, and Elacatinus jarocho. We found evidence of a spatial distribution pattern with 3 well-defined groups of reefs: (1) those near the city of Veracruz, (2) those near the outlet of the Jamapa River, and (3) those farther from the city. Higher fish densities are associated to both high hermatypic coral and low crustose coralline algae bottom covers. The assemblage structure of reef fishes is different at distinct geomorphological reef zones. As expected, with some differences in the species abundance order, the assemblage structure of reef fishes is similar at all coral reefs in the Gulf of Mexico. https://revista.ib.unam.mx/index.php/bio/article/view/4156VeracruzReef ecologyCommunity ecology |
| spellingShingle | Guillermo Horta-Puga Aura Aletse Morales-Aranda José Luis Tello-Musi The reef fish assemblage of a coral reef system in the southwestern Gulf of Mexico Revista Mexicana de Biodiversidad Veracruz Reef ecology Community ecology |
| title | The reef fish assemblage of a coral reef system in the southwestern Gulf of Mexico |
| title_full | The reef fish assemblage of a coral reef system in the southwestern Gulf of Mexico |
| title_fullStr | The reef fish assemblage of a coral reef system in the southwestern Gulf of Mexico |
| title_full_unstemmed | The reef fish assemblage of a coral reef system in the southwestern Gulf of Mexico |
| title_short | The reef fish assemblage of a coral reef system in the southwestern Gulf of Mexico |
| title_sort | reef fish assemblage of a coral reef system in the southwestern gulf of mexico |
| topic | Veracruz Reef ecology Community ecology |
| url | https://revista.ib.unam.mx/index.php/bio/article/view/4156 |
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