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Spatial and seasonal distribution patterns of fish assemblages in the Río Champotón, southeastern Mexico

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Abstract

Río Champotón in the Yucatán Peninsula is within the Usumacinta Province, the most diverse in fish fauna in Mexico, and is part of the Mesoamerican hotspot, with high endemism and exceptional habitat loss. The spatial and seasonal variability of its fish fauna and their relation to physical habitat characteristics were studied, finding 53 taxa. Canonical correspondence analysis shows salinity, distance from the river mouth, and substratum type differentiate an estuarine and a freshwater region. Fish fauna replacement was observed, with taxa exclusive to each region: 26 estuarine and 27 freshwater species. Six freshwater species enter the estuarine region when the high river flow depletes salinity. Estuary showed greater seasonal differences in specific richness than the freshwater region, which have sites with higher local specific richness. Despite its small drainage, Río Champotón has a highly diverse fish fauna and some areas are affected by human activity and the hurricane season. Its conservation is of critical importance.

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Acknowledgments

This paper was financed by the Joint Fund of the National Science and Technology Council (CONACyT-Mexico) and the Campeche state government (Project 31173) as well as by the Research and Postgraduate Studies Secretariat (SIP) of the National Polytechnic Institute (IPN-Mexico).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratorio de Ictiología y Limnología, Escuela Nacional de Ciencias Biológicas, IPN, Prol. de Carpio y Plan de Ayala, Col. Sto, Tomás, DF, 11340, México

    Eugenia López-López, J. Elías Sedeño-Díaz & Faviel López Romero

  2. Programa Ambiental, Av. Wilfrido Massieu s/n. Esq. Av. Luis Enrique Erro. Col. Zacatenco, Mexico, DF, Mexico

    J. Elías Sedeño-Díaz

  3. Universidad Autónoma del Estado de Morelos, Av. Universidad 1001. Col. Chamilpa, Cuernavaca, Morelos, CP 62209, Mexico

    Patricia Trujillo-Jiménez

Authors
  1. Eugenia López-López
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  2. J. Elías Sedeño-Díaz
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  3. Faviel López Romero
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  4. Patricia Trujillo-Jiménez
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Eugenia López-López.

Appendix

Appendix

Code of abbreviations of species in the CCA biplot

Species

Code

Harengula jaguana

Hare

Opisthonema oglinum

Opis

Anchoa mitchilli

Anch

Astyanax aeneus

Asty

Rhamdia guatemalensis

Rham

Synodus foetens

Syno

Agonostomus monticola

Agon

Mugil cephalus

Mugi

Atherinella alvarezi

Athe

Strongylura timucu

Stro

Strongylura notata

Stro n

Chriodorus atherinoides

Chir

Hyporhamphus roberti hildebrandi

Hypo

Floridichthys polyommus

Flor

Belonesox belizanus

Belo

Carlhubbsia kidderi

Carl

Gambusia sexradiata

GamS

Gambusia yucatana

GamY

Heterandria bimaculata

Hete

Poecilia mexicana

PoeM

Poecilia petenensis

PoeP

Xiphophorus maculatus

Xiph

Ophisternon aenigmaticum

Ophi

Centropomus undecimalis

Cent

Oligoplites saurus

Olig

Hemicaranx amblyrhynchus

Hemi

Trachinotus falcatus

Trac

Lutjanus griseus

Lutj

Lobotes surinamensis

Lobo

Eucinostomus gula

EucG

Eucinostomus jonesii

EucJ

Gerres cinereus

Gerr

Archosargus rhomboidalis

Archos

Haemulon bonariense

HaeB

Haemulon flavolineatum

HaeF

Oreochromis sp.

Oreo

Amphilophus robertsoni

Amph

Cichlasoma urophthalmus

CicU

Cichlasoma salvini

CicS

Petenia splendida

Pete

Rocio octofasciatus

Arch

Thorichthys helleri

ThoH

Thorichthys meeki

ThoM

Vieja intermedia

VieI

Vieja heterospila

VieH

Vieja synspila

VieS

Vieja sp.

VieSP

Bathygobius soporator

Bath

Gobiosoma bosc

Gobi

Trichiurus lepturus

Tric

Scomberomorus regalis

Scom

Achirus lineatus

Achi

Sphoeroides testudineus

Spho

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López-López, E., Elías Sedeño-Díaz, J., Romero, F.L. et al. Spatial and seasonal distribution patterns of fish assemblages in the Río Champotón, southeastern Mexico. Rev Fish Biol Fisheries 19, 127–142 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11160-008-9093-y

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