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Nyctiphanes simplex (Euphausiidae) is the key prey for numerous pelagic predators because it is the most abundant of the 12 krill species present in the Gulf of California, forming dense and complex ontogenetic social interactions throughout its life cycle. We describe the diverse social behaviors of N. simplex and estimate its seasonal abundance in the Gulf of California accounting on average 74% of the krill assemblage. N. simplex exhibited complex and dynamic social repertoires of intraspecific behavioral interactions as early as Calyptopis 1 to adult phase, showing all possible ranges of social behavior known for pelagic invertebrates (aggregations, swarms, schools, shoals). We conclude that N. simplex displays different degrees of social behavior that concentrate abundance throughout their life cycle in epibenthic, pelagic and near surface habitats being highly adaptive behavior for feeding and reproduction. However, social interactions also pose a negative effect, facilitating parasite and disease transmission among conspecifics and facilitate predation for diverse visual predators adapted to find and prey on N. simplex aggregations and swarms. We report the most complete integrated evidence of social behavior and dataset of abundance data of any krill species in tropical and subtropical regions that have remained overlooked using traditional zooplankton net sampling methods.

Endo-parasites of the bathypelagic king of herrings Regalecus glesne and oarfish Regalecus russelii are only known from few specimens opportunistically examined. As a consequence, there are few records of parasites from either Regalecus species. We report plerocercoid larvae of phyllobothriidean cestodes parasitizing an adult R. glesne stranded in Bahia de La Paz, Baja California Sur, Mexico. Sixty-three plerocercoids were obtained from the intestine of R. glesne and characterized using morphological and molecular methods (nuclear 28S rDNA and mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase I gene sequences). Following the morphological diagnostic criteria of scolex and muscle bands in the strobila, plerocercoids specimens were preliminary assigned to the genus Clistobothrium. Mitochondrial and nuclear DNA sequences indicate these plerocercoids correspond to Clistobothrium montaukensis Ruhnke, 1993. Regalecus glesne is a new host known for C. montaukensis and this report is a new geographical record of C. montaukensis parasitizing species of the genus Regalecus previously known only from California and Florida, USA.

Ecologically similar species partition their use of resources and habitats and thus coexist due to ecological segregation in space, time, or diet. In seabirds, this segregation may differ over the annual cycle or vary inter-annually. We evaluated niche segregation in 3 sympatric storm-petrel species (Hydrobates melania, H. leucorhous, and H. microsoma) from the San Benito Islands, Mexico, during 2012 and 2013. We used diet samples and carbon (δ13C) and nitrogen (δ15N) isotopic values obtained from egg membranes, blood, feathers, and prey. We used krill samples to delineate marine δ13C and δ15N isoscapes for the Baja California Peninsula. During the breeding season, storm-petrels segregated regarding diet composition, stable isotope values, and isotopic niches. H. melania consumed higher trophic-position prey from neritic waters, while H. leucorhous and H. microsoma foraged on lower-trophic position prey from oceanic waters. Isotopic niches among species did not overlap in 2013, whereas those of H. microsoma and H. leucorhous overlapped in 2012. The feeding strategies of H. melania varied among breeding phases, and adults consumed different prey items from different areas compared to those of their offspring. H. microsoma adults and their chicks consumed the same prey items but from different habitats. During the non-breeding period, niche segregation between species persisted, except for H. microsoma and H. leucorhous during the molt of primary (P1) and undertail cover feathers. These 3 sympatric species coexist through niche segregation based on prey items and foraging areas that vary seasonally and year-round, probably due to changes in oceanographic conditions and the distribution and availability of prey.

Of the five nominal species in the genus Caranx Lacepède 1801 distributed throughout the Eastern Central Pacific, Caranx caballus and Caranx sexfasciatus are the only two that have formal fish larval descriptions based on diagnostic characteristics (morphology, meristics and pigmentation). In this study, the diagnostic characteristics of three Caranx species larvae were validated using DNA barcoding analysis cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI; 651 bp). For the first time, the morphological taxonomic assignation of C. caballus fish larvae was confirmed using COI gene partial sequences of adults, with a genetic similarity between 99.8–100%. However, molecular evidence demonstrated that fish larvae previously described as C. sexfasciatus had high genetic similarity (99.7–100%) and low genetic distance (Caranx caninus adults. An undescribed larval morphotype collected in the present study genetically matched (100%) with COI sequences of C. sexfasciatus adults. The diagnostic characteristics of this new morphotype were a lack of pigmentation in the supraoccipital crest, over the gut, and at the terminal region of the gut. The combination of diagnostic characteristics and DNA barcoding evidence allowed the discrimination and validation of C. caballus, C. caninus and C. sexfasciatus larvae. The diagnostic characteristics and COI sequences of Caranx lugubris and Caranx melampygus larvae, which are also distributed in the Eastern Central Pacific, remain to be investigated.

Cephalopod paralarval species richness, abundance and size structure were surveyed wduring an anomalous warm period (2014–2017) in the Cabo Pulmo National Park (CPNP), Gulf of California, Mexico. Paralarval taxa from six families (Cranchiidae, Enoploteuthidae, Ommastrephidae, Onychoteuthidae, Argonautidae and Octopodidae) were identified. Most taxa were of tropical biogeographic affinity and oceanic habitats. Highest paralarval richness occurred during spring associated with the northward movement of Tropical Surface Water, while the lowest was recorded during autumn with the southward flow of the Gulf of California water mass. Although 89% of the paralarvae were collected at or close to their species hatching size, none of the paralarval taxa showed a consistent seasonal spawning period. A canonical correspondence analysis showed three taxonomic assemblages: Argonauta and Helicocranchia–Onychoteuthis groups correlated with northward currents and high zooplankton biovolumes (ZB) and SD complex–Abraliopsis group with southward currents and intermediate ZB. Our Helicocranchia pfefferi paralarvae are the first recorded for the Gulf of California. At least 11 cephalopod taxa reproduce in CPNP. This area represents a suitable spawning habitat for cephalopods of socio-economic value.

This is the first acute-intensity record of helminths parasitizing the subtropical krill Nyctiphanes simplex Hansen, 1911. We briefly describe the pathology of infection of Phyllobothriidae gen. sp. plerocercoids parasitizing N. simplex in the Gulf of California. Infection occurred with a very low prevalence (P = 0.06%, n = 1563 specimens), although acute-intensity exceeded several hundred plerocercoids crowding the hemocoel in one female host. Nyctiphanes simplex showed inflammatory response of hemocyte-based infiltration, nodule formation, and presumptive melanization. Remarkably, cestodes invade and supplant the gonad, causing atretic oocytes and severe tissue destruction in the gonad likely leading to castration and cell death in connective tissue of the infected organs suggesting that acute-intensity infection exceeds the krill's reaction capacity. Thus, Phyllobothriidae gen. sp. negatively affects the host by depleting its fitness, leading to total castration to prevent/block host reproduction.

Larval didymozoids (Trematoda, Digenea) were discovered parasitizing the hemocoel of the heteropod Firoloida desmarestia (redia mean intensity = 13) and the chaetognaths Flaccisagitta enflata and Flaccisagitta hexaptera (metacercaria mean intensity = 1) during a 2014–2016 systematic study of parasites of zooplankton collected in the central and southern regions of the Gulf of California, Mexico. Didymozoid infection route during the early life cycle was inferred combining morphological and molecular evidence (light and scanning electron microscopy and mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I gene, cox1, respectively). Didymozoid rediae parasitizing F. desmarestia were observed alive releasing hundredths of cystophorous cercariae at a mean rate of one cercariae every 12 s. Cercariae developed into young metacercariae in 1 d at 22°C. Molecular analysis of cox1 showed that rediae found in F. desmarestia belong to two distinct didymozoid species (Didymozoidae sp. 1 and sp. 2). Metacercariae parasitizing chaetognaths were morphologically identified as Didymozoidae type Monilicaecum and cox1 sequences showed that metacercariae of chaetognaths matched with these two Didymozoidae sp.1, and sp. 2 species found parasitizing F. desmarestia, plus a third distinct Didymozoidae sp. 3. These are the first DNA sequences of cox1 gene from didymozoid larvae for any zooplankton taxonomic group in the world. We concluded that F. desmarestia is the first intermediate host of rediae and second intermediate host cercariae and chaetognaths are the third intermediate hosts of didymozoid metacercariae demonstrating a potential overlap distribution of these two carnivorous zooplankton taxonomic groups. The didymozoid specimens were not identified to species level because any of the cox1 sequences generated here matched with the sequences of adult didymozoids currently available in GenBank and Bold System databases. This study provides valuable information for the morphological and molecular understanding of the Didymozoidae larvae that has been previously based on the recognition of the 12 known morphotypes.

14 pages, 7 figures, 3 tables, supplementary data https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pocean.2022.102894.-- Data availability: The data that has been used is confidential, The biological carbon pump is the process that transports carbon vertically out of the mixed layer in the ocean. Besides the sinking flux of organic particles, active flux due to the daily vertical migration of zooplankton and micronekton promotes a significant carbon transport not fully accounted for or understood in the world’s oceans. The diversity and abundance of epipelagic and mesopelagic species in the Gulf of California has been extensively studied, but the role of micronekton in carbon export has not yet been investigated. We studied the carbon flux promoted by juvenile and adult mesopelagic fishes and crustaceans (Decapoda and Euphausiidae) during the transition from the cold to warm period (June) and the onset of the warm season (October) in 2018. We provide the first estimation of migrant biomass and respiratory flux of the most abundant migratory species of mesopelagic fishes, decapods and euphausiids in the Gulf of California. The micronekton species collected accounted for a large biomass of mesopelagic fishes and pelagic crustaceans. The average migrant biomass estimates were 151.5 ± 101.2 mg C·m−2 during June and 90.9 ± 75.3 mg C·m−2 during October. The enzymatic activity of the electron transfer system (ETS) was measured as an estimate of their respiratory rates. Average specific ETS activity was significantly different between fishes and decapods, and between fishes and euphausiids (p, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México supported the use of the R/V El Puma during these two oceanographic cruises carried out in the Gulf of California during 2018. Additional funding for this research came from Centro Interdisciplinario de Ciencias Marinas-Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Mexico (SIP 20180084), Instituto de Ciencias del Mar y Limnología from the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico (PAPIIT-UNAM IN210622, IN200610-3, IN218106, IN202319, Mexico), Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología, Mexico (CONACYT Ciencia Básica 2016-C01- 284201), and by the European Union (Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Programme) through projects SUMMER (Grant Agreement 817806), TRIATLAS (Grant Agreement 817578) and the Spanish Government through the Project Desafío (PID2020-118118RB-I00). J.G.G. and C.J.R. are SNI fellows and J.G.G. also is EDI-IPN and COFAA-IPN fellow. A.S. was supported by a postgraduate grant from the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (BES-2017-082540), With the institutional support of the ‘Severo Ochoa Centre of Excellence’ accreditation (CEX2019-000928-S)

13 pages, 8 figures, 1 table, The Gulf of California and adjacent Pacific have passed through a prolonged warming period that affects the Humboldt squid D. gigas life cycle, which was the third largest fishery in Mexico until its total collapse after 2010. The aims of the present study were (i) to characterize the nursery habitat of paralarvae of the complex Sthenoteuthis oualaniensis–Dosidicus gigas (SD complex) on the basis of 1112 paralarvae collected from zooplankton trawls carried out during ten oceanographic cruises off northwestern Mexico between 2010 and 2017; and (ii) to model the seasonal and interannual variability of the nursery habitat, applying a generalized additive model (GAM) using a regional long-term (1922–2017) hydrographic database. The GAM showed significant relationships of paralarvae abundance with the seasonal average of thermocline depth, absolute salinity, and conservative temperature. The potential nursery habitat of the SD complex paralarvae showed its maximum expected abundance in the entrance of the Gulf of California during spring, when the thermocline depth was shallowest (, This work was made possible thanks to the financial support of SEP- CONACyT (contracts 2014-236864, L. Sanchez-Velasco) and Fronteras de la Ciencia-CONACyT (contracts 2015-2-280, L. Sanchez-Velasco) and annual projects from Instituto Politécnico Nacional (SIP 2010–2022)

This is the first worldwide systematic and quantitative study to count and identify helminth parasites from 100 blue and 44 fin whale fecal samples collected in the Gulf of California during winter (1993–2014). Blue and fin whale feces had similar prevalence of adult acanthocephalans (Bolbosoma sp.) in feces (18.2% and 14.6%, respectively), but blue whales had significantly higher helminth egg prevalence in feces (100%) and mean intensity (443 ± 318 eggs/g) compared to fin whales (61%, 252 ± 327 eggs/g). Diphyllobothrium sp. eggs were identified in blue whale feces and Diphyllobothridae, Ogmogaster sp. and Crassicauda sp. eggs were identified in fin whale feces. We tested the hypothesis that egg intensity in blue whale’s feces varies as a function of age class, reproductive status, sex, preservation and sampling years using a Generalized Linear Model. This model explained 61% of the variance in the helminth egg intensity, but it was not significant. Eighteen blue whale individuals were resampled over time without significant difference between consecutive samples. Thus, all individual blue whales that migrate to the Gulf of California during winter are permanently parasitized with helminths, while the resident fin whales showed lower prevalence and intensity. This helminth load difference is likely due to their different diets duringsummer–fall, when blue whales feed on other krill species in the California Current System and fin whales shift to school fish prey types in the Gulf of California.

The keystone role of Antarctic krill,Euphausia superbaDana, in Southern Ocean ecosystems, means it is essential to understand the factors controlling their abundance and secondary production. One such factor that remains poorly known is the role of parasites. A recent study of krill diet using DNA analysis of gut contents provided a snapshot of the parasites present within 170E. superbaguts in a small area along the West Antarctic Peninsula. These parasites includedMetschnikowiaspp. fungi,Haptoglossasp. peronosporomycetes,LankesteriaandParalecudinaspp. apicomplexa,Stegophorussp. nematodes, andPseudocolliniaspp. ciliates. Of these parasites,Metschnikowiaspp. fungi andPseudocolliniaspp. ciliates had previously been observed inE. superba, as had other genera of apicomplexans, though notLankesteriaandParalecudina.In contrast, nematodes had previously only been observed in eggs ofE. superba, and there are no literature reports of peronosporomycetes in euphausiids.Pseudocolliniaspp., parasitoids which obligately kill their host, were the most frequently observed infection, with a prevalence of 12%. The wide range of observed parasites and the relatively high frequency of infections suggest parasites may play a more important role than previously acknowledged inE. superbaecology and population dynamics.

The bacterial strain 42Xb2

Sea spiders (Class Pycnogonida Latreille, 1810) are chelicerate arthropods, with an extraordinarily reduced body armed with eight to twelve elongated legs. A literature review of taxonomic and ecological studies of pycnogonids from Mexico identified 49 nominal species (~3.6% out of 1,335 species described worldwide). This low species richness is likely caused by limited taxonomic research and intermittent sampling and research efforts initially carried out by foreign scientists (1893–1996) and later by Mexican scientists. The present study investigates the latitudinal gradient of species richness of the pycnogonids associated with nine marine docks located between Cabo San Lucas (22°53’N) and Santa Rosalía (26°58’N) along the west coast of the Gulf of California, 22°53’N Mexico and provides a detailed morphological re-description of each nominal species using light and scanning electron microscopy. Nine nominal pycnogonid species and one unidentified species in the genus Tanystylum were collected and identified from the biological samples collected between 2011–2017. The highest pycnogonid species richness was recorded at Bahía de La Paz (seven species, 24°14’N) and the lowest species richness at Cabo San Lucas (one species) without an evident latitudinal species richness gradient. Anoplodactylus californicus Hall, 1912 and Ammothella spinifera Cole, 1904 were the most abundant species (52% of the total number of individuals). Tanystylum occidentale (Cole, 1904) and Nymphon apheles Child, 1979 were new geographical records for Mexico and Ammothella symbia Child, 1979 and A. californicus were new records for Baja California Sur state. Adding these new geographical records of pycnogonids increased the species richness previously recorded at Baja California Sur from 20 to 24 nominal species and for Mexico, the species richness increased from 49 to 51 nominal species.

Three new sea fan species of Leptogorgia were discovered during multiple scuba diving expeditions along the Gulf of California coast and islands. Leptogorgia iridis sp. nov. is distributed in the southern region of the gulf (Mexican Province), inhabiting tropical rocky reefs of the Islas Marias Archipelago (Nayarit) and Bahia Banderas (Jalisco). This species has small colonies (< 7 cm height) with at least five clearly distinct chromotypes. Leptogorgia martirensis sp. nov. was found exclusively on the rocky reefs of San Pedro Martir and San Esteban Islands located in the northern region of the Gulf of California (northern region of Cortez Province). Leptogorgia enrici sp. nov. is distributed from the south to the northern region of the Gulf of California (Cortez Province), inhabiting substrates of rocky reefs, sandy and pebbly sea floors. Comprehensive ecological diving expeditions to identify and classify octocorals in the Mexican Pacific (1995–2019) indicate that L. iridis sp. nov. and L. martirensis sp. nov. are likely to be micro-endemics and L. enrici sp. nov. is endemic to the Gulf of California, which defines their currently known biogeographic distribution ranges.

Un crecido número de profesores ha hecho parte de la Facultad de Teología en estos 50 años de historia. En este texto se presenta una síntesis y conclusiones a partir del trabajo de Revisión de Literatura de la producción escrita de los profesores de la Facultad de Teología. En la primera parte se presenta la actividad académica y producción teológica de quienes fueron docentes, algunos de ellos ya han fallecido, otros están jubilados o desempeñando otros ministerios. En la segunda parte se presenta la actividad académica y producción teológica de los docentes que siguen acompañando los procesos académicos de la Facultad de Teología. Después de una búsqueda en bases de datos científicas, en catálogos locales, en la web y de conversaciones con algunos de los docentes, se concluye que el trabajo teológico académico ha estado orientado principalmente a responder a las necesidades del contexto.

Endo-parasites of the bathypelagic king of herrings Regalecus glesne and oarfish Regalecus russelii are only known from few specimens opportunistically examined. As a consequence, there are few records of parasites from either Regalecus species. We report plerocercoid larvae of phyllobothriidean cestodes parasitizing an adult R. glesne stranded in Bahía de La Paz, Baja California Sur, Mexico.Sixty-three plerocercoids were obtained from the intestine of R. glesne and characterized using morphological and molecular methods (nuclear 28S rDNA and mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase I gene sequences).Following the morphological diagnostic criteria of scolex and muscle bands in the strobila, plerocercoids specimens were preliminary assigned to the genus Clistobothrium. Mitochondrial and nuclear DNA sequences indicate these plerocercoids correspond to Clistobothrium montaukensis Ruhnke, 1993.Regalecus glesne is a new host known for C. montaukensis and this report is a new geographical record of C. montaukensis parasitizing species of the genus Regalecus previously known only from California and Florida, USA.

The genus Nyctiphanes G.O. Sars, 1883 (Euphausiacea, Euphausiidae) includes four extant species. These species are a conspicuous component of trophic webs of coastal marine ecosystems due to their abundance, the formation of dense aggregations, swarms, and schools, fast growth, and high reproductive rates. They dominate the bulk biomass in eutrophic Eastern Boundaries System and subtropical mesotrophic habitats, with estimates of 30–40% of the total zooplankton biomass. Species of Nyctiphanes are efficient omnivores and conversely prey for a large number of zooplanktonic and nektonic species. We review current knowledge of the biogeography, reproductive biology, physiology, biochemistry, ecology, and parasitology of the four species of Nyctiphanes. Most published information on Nyctiphanes focuses on the two species from the Pacific Ocean, N. australis G.O. Sars, 1883 and N. simplex Hansen, 1911, and considerably less is known on the biology and ecology of N. couchii (Bell, 1853) and N. capensis Hansen, 1911 from the Atlantic Ocean. Knowledge on the biology and ecology of the species of Nyctiphanes is still behind what is currently known for species of krill, particularly compared to Euphausia Dana, 1850 and Thysanoessa Brandt, 1851, and new multi-focal studies on the effects that environmental variables have on reproductive aspects, survival, growth, and physiology are especially critical to address under future environmental change.

The seasonal variability of gelatinous zooplankton (siphonophores, medusae, and thaliaceans) abundance was investigated at Cabo Pulmo National Park (CPNP) from weekly zooplankton samples collected throughout 2014. The Gulf of California had prolonged warming during 2009-2019, with 2014 as the anomalously warm year preceding El Niño 2015-2016 compared to the 2003-2020 SST time series. Gelatinous zooplankton accounted

The zooplankton taxonomic group composition was analyzed in a known spawning area for snooks of the family Centropomidae during March 2011-February 2012 near the González River's mouth, a tributary of the Grijalva-Usumacinta River system, discharging into the southern Gulf of Mexico. Zooplankton was collected near the surface using three distinct zooplankton nets (20, 64, and 120 μm). Sixteen zooplankton taxonomic groups were collected between the three nets. Copepoda (76.9%), Trematoda (6.7%), Bivalvia (4.6%), and Chaetognatha (Sagittoidea 4.3%) numerically dominated zooplankton community structure. The 120 and 64 μm nets collected the highest diversity of zooplankton (15 taxa). Zooplankton was more abundant during June-October (summer storm season). They associated with lower salinities (due to the increase in the discharge volume of the Grijalva-Usumacinta River system) and higher regional primary productivity than observed during the rest of the year (March-May, dry season, and November-February, winter storm season). The highest peak of zooplankton abundance was found in November during the beginning of winter storms. Nine taxonomic groups were observed frequently and abundantly during the summer storm season, while only five taxonomic groups were abundant during the dry season.

Migratory marine megafauna generally move vast distances between productive foraging grounds and environmentally stable breeding grounds, but characterizing how they use these habitats to maintain homeostasis and reproduce is difficult. We used isotope analysis of blue whale skin strata (n = 621) and potential prey (n = 300) to examine their migratory and foraging strategies in the eastern Pacific Ocean. Our results suggest that most whales in the northeast Pacific use a mixed income and capital breeding strategy, and use the California Current Ecosystem as their primary summer-fall foraging ground. A subset of individuals exhibited migratory plasticity and spend most of the year in the Gulf of California or Costa Rica Dome, two regions believed to be their primary winter-spring breeding grounds. Isotope data also revealed that whales in the southern Eastern Tropical Pacific generally do not forage in the northeast Pacific, which suggests a north-south population structure with a boundary near the equator.

Three new sea fan species of Leptogorgia were discovered during multiple scuba diving expeditions along the Gulf of California coast and islands. Leptogorgia iridissp. nov. is distributed in the southern region of the gulf (Mexican Province), inhabiting tropical rocky reefs of the Islas Marías Archipelago (Nayarit) and Bahía Banderas (Jalisco). This species has small colonies (< 7 cm height) with at least five clearly distinct chromotypes. Leptogorgia martirensissp. nov. was found exclusively on the rocky reefs of San Pedro Mártir and San Esteban Islands located in the northern region of the Gulf of California (northern region of Cortez Province). Leptogorgia enricisp. nov. is distributed from the south to the northern region of the Gulf of California (Cortez Province), inhabiting substrates of rocky reefs, sandy and pebbly sea floors. Comprehensive ecological diving expeditions to identify and classify octocorals in the Mexican Pacific (1995–2019) indicate that L. iridissp. nov. and L. martirensissp. nov. are likely to be micro-endemics and L. enricisp. nov. is endemic to the Gulf of California, which defines their currently known biogeographic distribution ranges.

The seasonal succession of species community structure, abundance and carbon biomass of five zooplankton taxa (Copepoda, Euphausiacea, Chaetognatha, Amphipoda and fish larvae) and their variability during different oceanographic conditions was investigated on the continental shelf of the central Mexican Pacific (19°N, 105°W) during a monthly time-series (1996–1998). These zooplanktonic taxa included 291 species, with maximum species richness during El Nino 1997–98, when 54 tropical oceanic species invaded the continental shelf. This typical offshore community was advected onshore by the anomalous intrusion of Subsurface Equatorial water mass which caused + 7 °C temperature anomalies. Nineteen species comprised the bulk of the abundance (91%) and biomass (87%) of the five zooplankton taxa. Multivariate statistical analysis revealed four species assemblages associated with distinct oceanographic conditions: (1) mixed water column period (upwelling; February–June, non-El Nino period) characterized by high abundance and carbon biomass of omnivorous zooplankters (copepods Subeucalanus subcrassus, Centropages furcatus, Canthocalanus pauper, Temora discaudata, and Subeucalanus subtenuis, euphausiid Euphausia distinguenda, and fish larvae Bregmaceros bathymaster); (2) stratified water column period (July–January, non-El Nino period) with low-moderate abundance and biomass of the predominant species of the first group plus the euphausiid E. lamelligera, the chaetognaths Flaccisagitta enflata and Zonosagitta bedoti, and the tropical amphipod Hyperioides sibaginis; and (3 and 4) two highly diverse assemblages associated with El Nino-stratified conditions and post El Nino (July 1997–December 1998). These last two assemblages were distinguished by a high numerical dominance of carnivores (F. enflata, Z. bedoti, and H. sibaginis) and a pronounced decline of abundances of omnivore copepods, euphausiids, and fish larvae. Both the seasonal upwelling dynamics and the interannual-scale El Nino events shaped the tropical zooplankton community structure succession of this neritic ecosystem. The local community structure modulates the function and productivity of this ecosystem, which sustains regional fisheries and ecotouristic activities. More frequent, intense or even longer El Nino events may significantly decrease zooplanktonic carbon biomass and trophic transfer through the neritic epipelagic food web, resulting in impoverishment of the shelf biota with negative economic implications.

We investigated the seasonal and interannual changes in diversity, abundance, and prevalence of chaetognaths and their parasites collected monthly during 1996-1998 in the Mexican Central Pacific. We tested the hypothesis of a positive relationship between abundance and species richness of chaetognaths and their parasites, and investigated the influence of the 1997-1998 El Nino event on this host-parasite interaction. Of the 9 chaetognath species collected in the present study, only 7 were found to be parasitized. Of 78154 chaetognath specimens collected, 790 were parasitized (1% prevalence) with at least 1 type of epibiont (cysts, perhaps protists) and 6 types of endoparasites: protists (apicomplexans, dinoflagellates, and ciliates), digeneans, cestodes, acanthocephalans, nematodes, and other unidentified endoparasites. Cysts, digeneans, and cestodes were the most abundant parasites. Mean intensity ranged from 1-4 endoparasites and from 1-21 epibionts host-1. Zonosagitta bedoti and Flaccisagitta enflata were the most abundant chaetognath species and had the highest parasite diversity. Mesosagitta minima and Parasagitta euneritica had the highest parasite prevalence (>2%). A 2-way cluster analysis defined sampling month groups as before, during, and after the 1997-1998 El Nino. The highest abundances of chaetognaths and parasites were associated with a high thermal stratification index, salinity, and mixed layer depth. We conclude that there is a positive, non-linear correlation between the abundance of chaetognaths and their parasites. Although El Nino decreased the abundance and diversity of chaetognaths throughout the time series, the abundance and diversity of their parasites were not significantly different among hydro-climatic periods, suggesting that host abundance must decrease orders of magnitude to influence host availability for parasites.

Larval fish composition and abundance were analyzed during February-March (winter) and November-December (autumn) of 2005 to investigate which environmental conditions and mesoscale oceanographic processes affect the distribution of larval fish assemblages in the Gulf of California, and if these variables and processes are useful to delimit specific regions of ichthyofaunal distribution. The overall pattern was mostly a latitudinal gradient of the abundance of two faunistic complexes of larval fish assemblages (temperate northern and tropical southern complexes) strongly associated with the spatial distribution of sea surface temperature. The integration of these results, with previous investigations in the region, lets us confirm that the northern and southern larval fish assemblages extend and contract their distribution ranges according to the latitudinal displacement of the 21°C sea surface isotherm. We identified this to be a valuable criterion to establish the southern distribution limit of the temperate larval fish assemblage, and the 18°C as the northern limit of the tropical larval fish assemblage. However, this general pattern is maintained only in absence of mesoscale oceanographic features (upwelling and eddies) that increase larval drift from the coast to the central region of the Gulf, particularly during the November-December period when longitudinal gradients were stronger than in February-March.

Este artículo contiene 11 páginas, 7 figuras, 2 tablas., The present study analyses the coverage of epibiont Distaplia cf. stylifera (Ascidiacea: Holozoidae) and five environmental variables (Sal, SST, DO, sea surface Chl-a concentration and pH) as potential factors to explain a mass mortality event in a restored population of the pen shell Atrina maura (Bivalvia: Pinnidae) in a subtropical bay of the Gulf of California, Mexico. Annual autumn surveys in 2015, 2016 and 2017 (Nov–Dec) and an additional summer survey in 2016 (Jun) showed that the tunicate was first observed at low densities in a few sampling sites during 2015 and rapidly expanded along the pen shell banks in 2016. Tunicate manual removal was carried out in two small areas during Sep-Nov 2016 and Jan–Mar 2017. The mass mortalities of A. maura detected in 2016 and 2017 resulted in a high economic loss for regional fishers. A Generalised additive model (GAM) indicated that the substrate provided by A. maura was the only significant factor associated to the rapid expansion (measured as the proportion of coverage) of D. cf. stylifera. Paradoxically, the recovery success in the A. maura population increased substrate availability for the tunicate epibiont, facilitating an abrupt and fast colonisation process on the pen shell banks, resulting in A. maura mass mortality events in 2016 and 2017. Our model predicts that D. cf. stylifera coverage effects begin to occur when the density of A. maura is > 47 inds./250 m2. A second GAM demonstrated that the main driver of A. maura mortality was ascidian coverage, and salinity, SST and DO were secondary driver factors. We concluded that the density of dead A. maura increases when the coverage of D. cf. stylifera is >8%, salinity >37.3 PSU, SST 5.06 mg O2/L. Early harvesting of A. maura to decrease substrate availability at the first signs of D. cf. stylifera population growth can avoid significant economic losses in the future., This work was supported by CONACyT 421011/263861 PhD scholarship to BBMD. JGG is an EDI-IPN, COFAA-IPN and JGG, CS and EFBP are SNI fellows

Surface microplastics were sampled monthly in four tropical bays (Manzanillo, Santiago, Navidad and Cuastecomates) of the central Mexican Pacific during March 2017 to February 2018. Microplastic concentrations ranged between 0.01 and 1.05 particles/m2 with a median per bay ranging between 0.26 and 0.40 particles/m2. Raman spectroscopy registered polypropylene (40%), polyethylene (40%) and polyester (20%) polymers. Fibers dominated all samples, except for Manzanillo where fragments numerically dominated during the rainy season (Jun-Oct). Fiber concentration was not significantly different among bays or seasons, likely associated with continuous wastewater discharge. Fragment concentrations were significantly higher in Bahia Manzanillo and Santiago than the other two bays. Non-metric multidimensional scaling showed distinct distribution of Manzanillo samples (which has important port activities) as compared to Santiago, Navidad, Cuastecomates (where tourism economic activities predominate). This first direct comparison of sea surface microplastic concentration among four bays in Mexico provides a baseline to study impacts on marine zooplankton in this tropical ecosystem.

The genus Pseudocollinia (Apostomatida, Pseudocolliniidae) currently includes four species ( P. beringensis , P. oregonensis , P. brintoni , and P. similis ) that infect adults of seven numerically dominant krill species (Order Euphausiacea) in the northeastern Pacific (Bering Sea-to-Gulf of California). In this review, we found four reports in other parts of the world of misidentified or unidentified protists infecting krill. Based on their morphology, cell size and infection of the hemocoel’s host, we infer they are histophagous Pseudocollinia ciliates. We thus conclude that previous reports of protists (identified as microsporidians) infecting Thysanoessa inermis in the northwestern Atlantic Ocean (Bay of Fundy) and unidentified endoparasite ciliates infecting the Euphausia superba in the Southern Ocean (Admiralty Bay, King George Island), Euphausia pacifica in Sanriku, Japan and Euphausia similis var . armata in Tasmania, Australia are actually Pseudocollinia parasitoid ciliates that await to be morphologically and genetically described. This review provides strong evidence that apostome Pseudocollinia ciliates are widespread distributed in the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans, infecting at least nine krill species from Arctic–to–Antarctic zoogeographic regions, having perhaps worldwide distribution as several of their krill hosts. Future studies should focus on discovering parasitoid ciliates in other krill species, as well as in other phytoplankton and zooplankton taxonomic groups. Ciliados histiofagos Pseudocollinia que infectan krill en los oceanos Pacifico y Atlantico y posiblemente en el resto del mundo El genero Pseudocollinia (Apostomatida, Pseudocolliniidae) actualmente incluye cuatro especies ( P. beringensis, P. oregonensis, P. brintoni y P. similis ) que han sido descubiertas infectando especimenes adultos de siete especies de krill (Orden Euphausiacea) numericamente dominantes en el Pacifico nororiental (del Mar de Bering al Golfo de California). En esta revision encontramos cuatro publicaciones que indican que estos ciliados se encuentran en otras partes del mundo pero que estos protistas han sido identificados erroneamente o no fueron identificados taxonomicamente. En la presente revision se infiere que estos protistas son ciliados del genero Pseudocollinia debido a que infectan krill, su morfologia y tamano celular, asi como su localizacion de infeccion en el hemocele del huesped. Por lo tanto, concluimos que los reportes previos de protistas (identificados como microsporidios) descubiertos infectando a Thysanoessa inermis en el Oceano Atlantico noroccidental (Bahia de Fundy) y los ciliados endoparasitos no identificados que infectan al krill Antarctico Euphausia superba en el Oceano Austral (Bahia Almiralty, Isla King George), Euphausia pacifica en Sanriku, Japon y Euphausia similis var. armata en Tasmania, Australia tambien son ciliados parasitoides del genero Pseudocollinia , pero que esperan ser descritos morfologicamente y geneticamente en el futuro. Esta revision proporciona evidencia de que los ciliados Pseudocollinia estan ampliamente distribuidos en los oceanos Pacifico y Atlantico, infectando al menos nueve de las especies de hospederos de krill de regiones zoogeograficas Articas a Antarticas teniendo una distribucion probablemente mundial; como ocurre en varias especies de krill. Estudios futuros deben centrarse en descubrir los ciliados de parasitoides en otras especies de krill y en otros grupos taxonomicos de fitoplancton y zooplancton.

The Humboldt Current krill, Euphausia mucronata (Crustacea: Euphausiacea), is an endemic and keystone species in the food web of this highly productive eastern border current ecosystem. The morphology and ontogeny of E. mucronata is known from calyptopis I to the adult phase, but the embryonic and early-life stages (nauplius and metanauplius) of this broadcast spawning species are unknown. We describe the morphology and development time of these life stages to complete the knowledge of its life cycle. Embryos were obtained from purple-gonad gravid females collected off Dichato, central Chile, during November 2012. Eight gravid females (mean=16 mm total length) were incubated in seawater at 12°C under laboratory conditions. The average development time from single-cell embryos to the metanauplius stage was 2.2 d and hatching occurred between 20 and 25 h. The average growth rate was 0.35 mm d−1 from the late limb bud to the metanauplius stage (range=0.21–0.48 mm d−1). Embryos of E. mucronata had a mean chorion diameter of 0.460 mm, embryo diameter of 0.343 mm, and perivitelline space of 0.056 mm. Our biological information reported here constitutes a baseline for future ecological studies on distribution and temporal variability of spawning activity and reproductive strategies of E. mucronata in the highly variable and productive Humboldt Current ecosystem.

We describe the seasonal changes in the horizontal and vertical distribution and abundance of euphausiid species associated with seven physical and 61 biological variables in the Gulf of California (24–31°N). Euphausiid community structure was explored in the epipelagic habitat ( Nyctiphanes simplex and Nematoscelis difficilis were the most abundant species (>90%) in all cruises carried out in the 26–31°N region and Euphausia distinguenda in the 24–26°N region (mostly in October >90%). We confirmed that Euphausia gibboides and Nematobrachion flexipes inhabit the mesopelagic habitat, adapted to 2 l –1 environmental condition. Although Euphausia lamelligera and N. simplex populations were concentrated in well-oxygenated water (>3 ml O 2 l –1 ) near the surface ( 2 l –1 . Stylocheiron affine and Stylocheiron carinatum were numerous well below the seasonal thermocline (100–350 m). Nematoscelis difficilis and N. simplex extended into the hypoxic mesopelagic habitat, but at low densities. Multivariate analyses showed six seasonal and regional krill assemblages, which are characterized by different species (Similarity percentage analysis). Canonical Correspondence Analysis show that, of 68 variables, three abiotic factors (temperature, dissolved oxygen, and OMZ depth) and eight biotic factors (accessory pigments; zeaxanthin and 19'-hexanoyloxyfucoxanthin, and the abundance of six copepod species; Candacia pectinata , Canthocalanus pauper , Centropages furcatus , Rhincalanus nasutus , Scolecithrix danae , and Temora discaudata ), were the most influential variables associated with the vertical distribution and abundance of euphausiids. Krill‒copepod (predator–prey) relationships may be important determinants of daily and seasonal vertical distribution patterns. We conclude that the euphausiid vertical habitat reaches down to 900 m depth (with historical records of six species collected between 1000 and 2280 m) but with lower diversity and abundance in the mesopelagic and bathypelagic habitats than in the epipelagic habitat.

Chaetognaths are abundant carnivores with broad distributions that are intermediate hosts of trophically transmitted parasites. Monthly variations in chaetognath and parasite species distributions, abundance, prevalence, and intensity related to seasonal environmental changes were recorded in 2004 and 2005 in Laguna Nichupté, a coral reef, and the adjoining continental shelf of Quintana Roo, Mexico. Of 12 chaetognath species plus Sagitta spp., only 5 (Ferosagitta hispida, Flaccisagitta enflata, Sagitta spp., Serratosagitta serratodentata, and Pterosagitta draco) were parasitized. These species were parasitized with 33 types of flatworms and unidentified cysts (likely protozoan ciliates), having an overall mean prevalence of 6%. Digenean metacercaria larvae numerically dominated the parasite assemblages. Cluster analysis defined 2 chaetognath species assemblages. One included 7 species inside Laguna Nichupté, where F. hispida was numerically dominant (98.9%); the other contained 13 chaetognath species in the continental shelf-coral reef region, where F. enflata was abundant (53%). Canonical correspondence analysis showed that Laguna Nichupté had highly variable and hostile conditions (relatively low salinity and high temperature) for chaetognath species except for F. hispida. The higher density of F. hispida promoted greater parasite diversity (23 types), dominated by Brachyphallus sp. metacercariae. F. enflata prevailed in the continental shelf-coral reef area, which had stable high salinity and relatively low temperature. Monilicaecum and unidentified digenean 'type g' infected 5 chaetognath species on the continental shelf. Distinct primary hosts (mollusks and copepods) and contrasting environmental conditions (salinity, dissolved oxygen concentration, and temperature) between Laguna Nichupté and the continental shelf promoted distinct chaetognath species assemblages, resulting in distinct parasite diversity and prevalence patterns.

We provide the first estimations of calanoid copepod egg production rates (EPR) in the Eastern Tropical Pacific over an annual cycle (January–December 2011). Gravid females were collected twice monthly and incubated for 12 h without food to estimate EPR, weight-specific fecundity (Gf), spawning success (SS, percentage of females to spawn out of the total species incubated per month and season) and egg hatching success (EHS). This study reports the average EPR of 10 species and the monthly EPR and Gf of four planktonic calanoid copepods ( Centropages furcatus , Temora discaudata , Pontellina sobrina , and Nannocalanus minor ) that spawned with enough frequency to infer their seasonal reproductive patterns. These species showed distinct seasonal reproductive strategies. Most copepod species spawned sporadically with large EPR variability, while three copepod species reproduced throughout the year ( C. furcatus , T. discaudata and P. sobrina ) and N. minor spawned only during the mixed period (Feb–May). The four species had relatively similar average EPR ( C. furcatus 16, T. discaudata 18, P. sobrina 13, and N. minor 12 eggs fem −1 day −1 ). These are the first EPR estimations of P. sobrina and its previously known reproductive period is expanded. A Canonical Correspondence Analysis (CCA) was used to analyze EPR and species abundance of all calanoid copepods (40 spp.) collected throughout the time series in relation to temperature, salinity, mixed layer depth (MLD), dissolved oxygen, and chlorophyll a (Chl-a) concentrations to identify the variables that best explained the copepod abundance variability. Temperature, Chl-a, and salinity had the strongest effect on the biological variables, linked to seasonal and episodic upwelling-downwelling processes in the surveyed area. As a result of moderate upwelling events and seasonal variation of environmental conditions, it appears relatively few species are capable of maintaining continuous reproduction under the relatively higher temperatures and strong fluctuations of food availability that exist in this coastal habitat of the Eastern Tropical Pacific.