Sifonóforos (Cnidaria, Hydrozoa) a 1, 5 y 10 millas costa afuera de Anconcito, Ecuador.

During the period June 2019 to February 2020, a comprehensive siphonophore and cnidarian community survey was conducted at three stations near Anconcito, 1, 5, and 10 miles offshore. A total of 15 siphonophore species were identified and seasonal and spatial patterns in their abundance and diversity were highlighted. Muggiaea atlantica emerged as a dominant species, especially during the wet season, evidencing its relevance in low temperature waters. At the 1 mile station, five siphonophore species were recorded during the wet season, with Muggiaea atlantica reaching a significant density of 39 ind.(100m³)-1 in November 2019. At 5 miles, cnidarian diversity was notable, with Chelophyes contorta and Diphyes dispar as dominant species, reaching 80 ind.(100m³)-1 in February 2020. The 10-mile fixed station showed high diversity during the wet season, with Agalma elegans, Diphyes dispar and Sulculeolaria chuni as the most abundant, reaching 88 ind.(100m³)-1 in February 2020. During the dry season, the fixed station at 10 miles recorded nine cnidarian species, with Abylopsis tetragona, Diphyes dispar and Muggiaea atlantica as the most relevant, reaching a density of 826 ind.(100m³)-1. In the water column at 5 miles, Chelophyes contorta, Diphyes dispar, Lensia multicristata and Muggiaea atlantica were the most abundant species, with 219 ind.(100m³)-1 during the wet season and 1031 ind.(100m³)-1 during the dry season. At 10 miles, during the wet season, 20 species of cnidarians were recorded, with Agalma okeni, Diphyes dispar and Sulculeolaria chuni being the most representative, with a density of 163 ind.(100m³)-1 in february 2020. In the dry season, 14 species were observed with Diphyes dispar, Lensia fowleri and Muggiaea atlantica as dominant, reaching significant densities statistical analyses, such as NMDS, ANOSIM and SIMPER, revealed significant associations and differences between study areas and fixed stations, highlighting the importance of environmental factors in species distribution. The ACC showed significant correlations between the presence of cnidarians and environmental variables such as temperature, dissolved oxygen, salinity and pH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]