Observaciones obre el zooplancton de la zona arrecifal de Mahahual, Quintana Roo (Mar Caribe mexicano)

Abstract

A TOTAL OF 30 GROUPS OF ZOOPLANKTON WERE INDETIFIED AT MAHAHUAL REEF FDURING MORNINGAND DUSK SAMPLING FROM DECEMBER 30, 1990 THOUGH JANURY 2, 1991. HIGHEST BIOMASS VALUES WERE RECORDED WHITIN THE REEF LAGOON (76.88 MG/M3), AND THE LOWEST (43 MG/M3) IN THE CHANNEL ZONES. COPEPODS WERE THE MOST ABUNDANT GROUP, AND REPRESENTED 42.71% OF TOTAL ZOOPLANKTON. THEY WERE FOLLOWED GROUP, AND REPRESENTED 42.71% OF TOTAL ZOOPLANKTON. THEY WERE FOLLOWED BY DECAPOD LARVAE (15.04%) AND FISH EGGS AND LARVAE (10.1%). COPEPODS AND ICHTHYOPLANKTON WERE THE MOST ABUNDANT AT THE ANTERIOR REEF (45.49 AND 10% RESPECTIVELY). HIGHEST DENSITIES OF SEVERAL EPIBENTHIC OR MEROPLANKTIC GROUPS WERE RECORDED WHITIN THE REEF LAGOON. SEVERAL GROUPS OF DEMERSAL ZOOPLANKTON INCREASED THEIR DENSITY DURING VESPERTINE AMPLING; THIS PATTERN SEEMS TO BE RELATED WITH REPRODUCTIVE AND DISPERSAL STRATEGIES, FEEDING AND PROTECTION. AN OVERALL ANALYSIS INDICATED DIFFERENCES OF THE REEF LAGOON COMMUNITY WHEN COMPARED WITH THE FORE - REEF; CHANNEL ZONES ARE REGARDED AS TRANSITIONAL. DIFFERENCES WERE DETECTED ALSO BETWEN THE MATUTINE AND VESPERTINE COMMUNITIES.