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A new collection of fossil reef corals from the late Miocene Imperial Formation, the early Pliocene San Marcos Formation, the middle to late Pliocene Carmen Formation, and the Pleistocene, Gulf of California, Mexico, has yielded four new species Siderastrea annae n. sp., Placosmilia? aliciae n. sp., Favia maitreyiae n. sp., and Favia tulsidasi n. sp: Additionally, new occurrences of the previously described Pocillopora damicornis (Linnaeus, 1758), Pocillopora verrucosa (Ellis & Solander, 1786), Pocillopora meandrina Dana, 1846, Gardineroseris planulata (Dana, 1846), Pavona clavus (Dana, 1846), Porites lobata Dana, 1846, Diploria sarasotana Weisbord, 1974, as well as Dichocoenia eminens Weisbord, 1974, are reported. Morphometric analysis failed to distinguish between S. californica Vaughan, 19!7, and S. mendenhalli Vaughan, 1917, therefore the former is synonymized with the latter. The fauna occurred either in low-angle ramps or flat-lying terraces of variable extension. Most outcrops were small, and reminiscent of more extensive deposits usually formed in open, exposed, high-energy environments. However, well preserved units deposited in protected embayments are also present. Except at Isla Coronados and La Ventana where multiple coral terraces occur, coral bearing units represent single spatiotemporal growth episodes. The present analysis shows that the reef coral fauna between late Miocene to late Pleistocene in the Gulf of California can be considered depauperate when compared to the Caribbean fauna; nonetheless, it bears many more species than previously thought. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Analyzes the structure and dynamics of the coral reef community in Huatulco, Mexico. Performance of a quantitative inter-annual analysis of reef community structure and dynamics of several localities in the area; Comparison of the relative abundance of coral taxa and substrate characteristics among transects using the Bray-Curtis dissimilarity index; Utilization of multidimensional scaling to describe gradational patterns and community structure within and among communities.

The state of Oaxaca in southern Mexico harbors the highest faunistic and floristic biodiversity of the region; however, to date, research effort has focused on terrestrial flora and fauna. Despite this bias, there is a large amount of dispersed information regarding the coastal and marine biodiversity of Oaxaca. The present study aimed to: 1) update and synthesize existing information to improve understanding of coastal and marine biodiversity; and 2) provide a baseline for future biodiversity studies in Oaxaca. The review of 198 references about Oaxaca's flora and fauna produced 2,157 species records, from 15 taxonomic groups (Division, Phyla or Class). Nevertheless, knowledge about the fauna and flora of Oaxaca remains scarce compared to other regions, such as the Gulf of California. Additionally, floristic and faunistic knowledge is heterogeneous among the taxonomic groups; for instance, 242 (11.2%) species represent macroalgae, three invertebrate groups (annelids, crustaceans and mollusks) represent about 44.0% (949 species) of all species recorded, while the vertebrates are represented by 762 species (35.3%). Similarly, many invertebrate groups recorded in adjacent regions have not yet been recorded on the Oaxaca coast, including some platyhelminthes, rotifers, nematodes, oligochaetes, sipunculids, echiurans, tardigrades, pycnogonids, some crustaceans, brachiopods, chaetognaths, ascidians and cephalochordates. The study of the marine flora and fauna is far from finished; additional effort is required to complete the marine biodiversity inventory of Oaxaca. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although coral reef sedimentation is important because it modifies processes like symbioses, reproduction, recruitment and coral growth, Mexican Pacific studies are lacking. On this regard, spatio-temporal variations in sedimentation rate were investigated in six coral reef communities from Oaxaca. During February 2006-January 2007 (excluding April, July and August) two sediment structures, with four sediment traps each, were randomly installed. Sediment traps were replaced with a mean periodicity of 38 days, and the sediments were washed, filtered, dried and weighted in order to calculate sedimentation rate. Sedimentation rate was heterogeneous among localities (F,36 = 7.06, P < 0.01). It was high at Isla Montosa (653.31 kg m(-2) year(-1)) and Isla Cacaluta (450.09 kg m(-2) year(-1)), intermediate at San Agustin, Jicaral-Chachacual and Dos Hermanas (155.18-92.53 kg m(-2) year(-1)) and low at La Entrega (14.33 kg m(-2) year(-1)). Sedimentation rate was homogeneous through time (F7,34 = 0.85, P > 0.5); nonetheless, during the dry season (November-March) sedimentation rate in the area oscillated between 6.8-73.5 mg cm(-2) day(-1), whereas during the rainy season (May-October) the values were 141-1088 % higher (74.5-147.6 mg cm(-2) day(-1), Mann-Whitney U = 137, n = 42, P = 0.03). There was a significant relationship between sedimentation rate and pluvial precipitation (Spearman R = 0.83, n = 8, P = 0.009), suggesting that the amount of sediment reaching coral communities is closely tied to regional precipitation. Sedimentation rates recorded at Isla Montosa (366.64 mg cm(-2) day(-1)) and Isla Cacaluta (366.03 mg cm(-2) day(-1)) during the rainy season can be considered lethal-sublethal considering sediment tolerance and rejection efficiency of stony corals. The absence of coral mortality during the rainy season may result from: a) high efficiency of active sediment removal, b) increased physiological tolerance to sediments, and c) a high degree of passive sediment removal via turbulence. Nonetheless, the combined effect of natural and anthropogenic induced sedimentation may cause a shift in coral community structure and eventually a loss of the reef areas in Bahiás de Huatulco.