San Agustín bay is one of the most important bays in the Huatulco National Park because it includes the broadest coral reef surface of this park, which supports a great diversity of fish species. The importance of the present work is that describes quantitatively, for first time, the fish assemblage of this reef area. Visual censuses were realized on transects, according to the coral reef size, on coral and rocky reefs, and coral rubble environments. 64 species, 46 genus and 29 families were registered. Seasonal variation in fish assemblage was observed; reflecting the influence of pelagic shoaling species associated with the Gulf of Tehuantepec upwelling, during the dry season. Thus species were Selar crumenophthalmus, Caranx caninus, and Sardinops caeruleus. For species more closely associated to the reef habitat little seasonal variation was observed for each species, except Chromis atrilobata, which exhibited high density during the dry season. Pomacentrids exhibited more affinity for coral reef, labrids and haemulids for coral rubble environments. The highest diversity values were on coral rubble and the highest density was on the coral reef. Our study suggests that in this region, the Gulf of Tehuantepec upwelling is an important factor as well as the heterogeneity of habitats in shaping the fish assemblages, which must be protected to maintain the biodiversity of this important ecosystem.

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Phytoplankton from Tehuantepec River, Oaxaca, Mexico and some biogeographical relationships. Phytoplankton species collected from the limnetic to euryhaline sections of Tehuantepec River were identified, classified and compared with regional information from Mexico and South America. We collected 15 samples every three months from July 1997 through August 1998 with a 20 µm net and a van Dorn bottle. Indicator values and a code checklist are included. A total of 58 families, 121 genera, 273 species, one subspecies, 75 varieties, 13 forms and one morphotype were identified in the taxa Bacillariophyta (42.0 %), Chlorophyta (29.0 %), Cyanoprocaryota (18.0 %), Euglenophyta (5.0 %), Dinophyta (3.0 %), Cryptophyta (2.0 %) and Chrysophyta (1.0 %). The predominant families were Scenedesmaceae (24 species), Oocystaceae (22), Bacillariophyceae (21), Chaetocerotaceae (15) and Euglenaceae (14). Five families, eight genera, 72 species, 45 varieties and eight forms are first records for Mexico. The species Chroococcus turgidus, Microcystis flosaquae and Pseudanabaena limnetica (which produce massive blooms or red tides) are important in this river of moderate water quality.

Spatial variation in species number, abundance and diversity of fish in Huatulco Bays, Oaxaca, Mexico. Coral reef fish may adapt to their habitat characteristics, and the particular system intrinsic factors, may cause different fish compositions and structures. The present study aimed to determine the variation in number of species, abundance and diversity of fish communities in Huatulco bays of San Agustin, Riscalillo, Chachacual, Cacaluta, Maguey, Organo, Violín and La Entrega, from Oaxaca, Mexico. Fish communities were characterized between January 2009 and December 2010, with the use of visual census techniques. A total of 351 transects (10 x 2.5 m) were made, and for each one we analyzed the ichthyofauna species number, abundance and diversity. The analysis showed that for all variables, the highest values corresponded to Maguey, La Entrega, Órgano and Violín bays, while the lowest values corresponded to the San Agustín, Riscalillo, Chachacual and Cacaluta bays. The study identified significant differences in diversity (Kruskal-Wallis= 18.71, P= 0.0091), and in the composition and structure of fish communities in the bays (ANOSIM= 0.278, P= 0.001). We observed a relationship between the number of fish species and number of coral species (Spearman= 0.591, P< 0.05), while no relationship was found between the coral reef area and the number of fish species or their abundances. The number of coral species and the patchy arrangement of the coral cover created habitats that are structurally more complex, which affects the number of fish species. In areas with developed tourist infrastructure, recreational aquatic activities were found to affect the ichthyofauna behavior, abundance and diversity. The new information of this study may contribute to create and improve management, conservation and protection strategies for this important area as a whole interconnected complex. Rev. Biol. Trop. 65 (4):

La Laguna del Mar Muerto, Oaxaca-Chiapas fue muestreada entre 1991 y 1993 con el objetivo de caracterizar la ictiofauna en cuanto a su composición y abundancia. Se colectaron un total de 27 971 peces que aportaron 120.9 kg. La ictiofauna de la región está caracterizada por 29 familias, 45 géneros y 66 especies. El mayor número de especies se presenta en la parte sureste de la laguna (cerca de la Boca de Tonalá), área con mayor influencia marina, abundante vegetación costera y mayor descarga fluvial. El menor número de especies se presenta en la parte más interna de la laguna, caracterizada por hipersalinidad en la época de secas y baja salinidad en la época de lluvias. Las especies que presentan amplia distribución son Diapterus peruvianus, Lile stolifera. Anchoa lucida, Anchoa mundeola. Mugil curema, Atherinella guatemalensis y Anchovia macrolepidota.