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This study describes the relationship between mollusks, physicochemical properties of seawater, and sediments under natural conditions of low impact. Thirty-nine stations were sampled in October 1994 using a Van Veen grab (0.1 m −2 ). Temperature, salinity, and dissolved oxygen (DO) concentrations of bottom water were obtained with a CTD. Organic matter content and sediment grain analysis were determined. A total of 836 mollusks were collected. Gastropoda was the most abundant (52%) and diverse class with 27 genera, followed by Bivalvia with eight genera and Scaphopoda with only one genus. According to CCA analysis, dominant mollusks were significantly related with high DO concentrations. Donax, Natica, Acteocina, Bulla, Anachis, Odostomia, and Crucibulum can be classified as sensitive genera because they were found mainly in high oxygen concentrations (3.1-5.6 mL L −1 ); on the other hand, Cardiomya, Nuculana, Laevicardium, Chione, Truncatella, and Dentalium can be classified as tolerant genera (1.0-5.6 mL L −1 ). Todos Santos Bay hosts a diverse malacological fauna (36 genera); our results show that the dominant genera were mainly related to high dissolved oxygen concentrations. Mollusks can be a useful tool in environmental monitoring programs related with oxygen depletion in coastal areas.

The present study contributes to the knowledge of epibionts recorded on sea turtles that nested on a beach in the South Pacific of Mexico. A total of 125 Lepidochelys olivacea turtles nested on Llano Real beach, Guerrero, Mexico, were examined. We collected 450 conspicuous organisms from 8 species from 43 turtles. The corresponding data analysis was carried out to obtain the relative abundance, the relationship between turtle sizes and the presence of organisms, the similarity of species between the sampling months, and the interspecific relationships between the epibionts and the turtles observed. Chelonibia testudinaria was the most abundant species, while Remora remora was the least abundant species. The turtles were divided into six body sections, with the greatest abundance of these organisms located in the head–neck section of turtles, and there was a significant difference in the size of the turtles that presented epibionts and those that did not. C. testudinaria showed greater similarity between sampling months, and the interspecific relationships recorded were commensalism, parasitism, amensalism, and protocooperation. This research contributes the first record of epibionts in L. olivacea nesting in Guerrero, Mexico.

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