Manuel Elías-Gutiérrez

Using DNA barcodes to connect adults and early life stages of marine fishes from the Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico: potential in fisheries management

Barcoding has proven a useful tool in the rapid identification of all life stages of fish species. Such information is of critical importance for fisheries management and conservation, especially in high-diversity regions, such as Mexico’s marine waters, where more than 2200 species occur. The present study reports the barcode analysis of 1392 specimens from the Yucatan Peninsula, corresponding to 610 adults and juveniles, 757 larvae and 25 eggs, representing 181 species (179 teleosts and 2 rays), 136 genera and 74 families. Barcoding results revealed major range extensions and overlooked taxa, including three sympatric species of Albula (one likely undescribed) and a new taxon of Floridichthys. In total, six species of eggs and 34 species of larvae were identified through their barcode match with adults. These cases enabled the first discrimination of the larvae of four species of Eucinostomus, and new information about spawning locality and time was obtained from egg records for the hogfish, Lachnolaimus maximus, which is one of the most commercially important species in the Mexican Caribbean. Also, barcodes revealed mistakes in species recognition during a sport-fish contest. In the future, barcodes will help avoid similar errors and protect rare or endangered species, and will aid regulation of fisheries quotas.

New and little known cladocerans (Crustacea : Anomopoda) from Southeastern Mexico

Mexico represents a transitional area in which two biogeographic regions meet. A survey of the cladocerans collected in true tropical waterbodies from the country revealed a diverse fauna. The environments examined included temporary pools in the forest, rivers, permanent lagoons and karstic sinkholes. New records or little known taxa include: Diaphanosoma brevireme, D. fluviatile, Pseudosida ramosa, Simocephalus mixtus, Onchobunops tuberculatus,Guernella raphaelis, Chydorus nitidilus, Notoalonacf. globulosa, Alonella brasiliensis and Leydigiopsis curvirostris. In contrast to high altitude systems, with clear nearctic affinity, the lowlands of southeastern Mexico showed a striking resemblance with the South and Central American cladoceran fauna. Apparently, orographic barriers control the distribution of the cladoceran taxa in this region.

Additions to Mexican freshwater copepods with the description of the female Leptodiaptomus mexicanus (Marsh)

A survey on 10 temporary and permanent water-bodies, located at more than 2000 m above the sea level in the central part of Mexico resulted in the presence of 17 cyclopoid and five calanoid copepods. From the total taxa found, seven are new to the country: Leptodiaptomus assiniboiaensis (Anderson), Microcyclops dubitabilis Kiefer, Ectocyclops rubescens Brady, Eucyclops cf. bondi Kiefer, Eucyclops cf. prionophorus Kiefer, Eucyclops pseudoensifer Dussart, and Eucyclops cf. solitarius. The female of Leptodiaptomus mexicanus, a species known only from a single male found near Mexico City in 1929, is here described for the first time. Copepod fauna for each of the systems was highly diverse, with up to 12 species co-occurring in temporary ponds. This study revealed a mixture of north and south American taxa in the area.

A checklist of the littoral cladocerans from Mexico, with descriptions of five taxa recently recorded from the Neovolcanic Province

By 1996 an inventory of Mexican cladocerans hadrecorded 48 species of which 22 belonged toChydoridae, Macrothricidae and Ilyocryptidae.Unfortunately, most of the surveys were made beforeresearchers knew that these crustaceans are notentirely cosmopolitan. For this reason and the lack ofdeposited type material, many of these records aredoubtful and need detailed analyses. In this study,material from 18 water bodies located in theNeovolcanic Province of Mexico is analyzed andcompared with the literature. Also, males of Camptocercus dadayi Stingelin and Leydigialeydigi (Schoedler) and new records Eurycercus longirostris Hann and Biaperturaintermedia (Sars) are described. Half of thetotal number of species recorded are American endemicsand represents a mixture of the North and SouthAmerican fauna, suggesting that Mexico constitutes atransition between Nearctic and Neotropicalzones.

Spinalona anophtalma, n. gen. n. sp. (Anomopoda, Chydoridae) a blind epigean cladoceran from the Neovolcanic Province of Mexico

Spinalona anophtalma n. gen. n. sp. is describedon parthenogenetic and ephippial females andmales from material collected in a temporary lagoonlocated in the Neovolcanic Province from Mexico at analtitude of 2507 m above sea level. It ischaracterized by a strong armature of the antenna,postabdomen and postabdominal claw, no compound eyeor ocellus, the exopod of thoracic limb IIIwith only four setae and that of P5 with only three setae.This new taxon has no relationwith blind Alona from hypogean habitats.

DESCRIPTION OF ILYOCRYPTUS NEVADENSIS (BRANCHIOPODA, ANOMOPODA), A NEW SPECIES FROM A HIGH ALTITUDE CRATER LAKE IN THE VOLCANO NEVADO DE TOLUCA, MEXICO

[A new species of a cladoceran from a crater-lake, located at 4120 m a.s.l. in the volcano Nevado de Toluca, Mexico, is here described. It belongs to the genus Ilyocryptus, and is distinguished mainly by a combination of features, including an incomplete moulting; the anal opening is located on the distal end of the postabdomen, which is armed with moveable lateral spines along most of its length; and with no lobe formation. The shell bears bifurcate defensive spines. This record constitutes the first find of an ilyocryptid in a high altitude crater-lake. This record also increases the number of species known from Mexico to three, and to nine in the New World. Most of the American forms differ from the European ones, such confirming again the non-cosmopolitanism of most of these cladocerans. Se describe una nueva especie de cladocero procedente de un lago crater, localizado a 4120 metros sobre el nivel del mar en el volcan Nevado de Toluca, Mexico. Pertenece al genero Ilyocryptus y se distingue principalmente por una combinacion de caracteristicas que incluyen una muda incompleta; la abertura del ano localizada en el lado distal del postabdomen, el cual se encuentra armado con espinas moviles laterales a lo largo de la mayor parte de su longitud y sin formacion de lobulos dorsales. En la concha se observan espinas defensivas bifurcadas. Estos organismos constituyen el primer registro de un iliocriptido en un lago crater de gran altitud e incrementan el numero de especies conocidas para Mexico a tres. En el caso del nuevo mundo alcanza nueve, la mayoria de ellas diferentes a las europeas, por lo que se confirma una vez mas el no cosmopolitanismo de la mayoria de estos cladoceros., A new species of a cladoceran from a crater-lake, located at 4120 m a.s.l. in the volcano Nevado de Toluca, Mexico, is here described. It belongs to the genus Ilyocryptus, and is distinguished mainly by a combination of features, including an incomplete moulting; the anal opening is located on the distal end of the postabdomen, which is armed with moveable lateral spines along most of its length; and with no lobe formation. The shell bears bifurcate defensive spines. This record constitutes the first find of an ilyocryptid in a high altitude crater-lake. This record also increases the number of species known from Mexico to three, and to nine in the New World. Most of the American forms differ from the European ones, such confirming again the non-cosmopolitanism of most of these cladocerans. Se describe una nueva especie de cladocero procedente de un lago crater, localizado a 4120 metros sobre el nivel del mar en el volcan Nevado de Toluca, Mexico. Pertenece al genero Ilyocryptus y se distingue principalmente por una combinacion de caracteristicas que incluyen una muda incompleta; la abertura del ano localizada en el lado distal del postabdomen, el cual se encuentra armado con espinas moviles laterales a lo largo de la mayor parte de su longitud y sin formacion de lobulos dorsales. En la concha se observan espinas defensivas bifurcadas. Estos organismos constituyen el primer registro de un iliocriptido en un lago crater de gran altitud e incrementan el numero de especies conocidas para Mexico a tres. En el caso del nuevo mundo alcanza nueve, la mayoria de ellas diferentes a las europeas, por lo que se confirma una vez mas el no cosmopolitanismo de la mayoria de estos cladoceros.]

THE FRESHWATER CLADOCERA (ORDERS CTENOPODA AND ANOMOPODA) OF MEXICO, WITH COMMENTS ON SELECTED TAXA

Knowledge of the composition and distribution of the freshwater Cladocera in Mexico is still limited. All the available literature was reviewed and added to our own new records in different states of Mexico to present here a revised and updated list of the 110 species of the orders Ctenopoda and Anomopoda recorded for the country, with separate state records. Ecological, biogeographical, and taxonomic comments are made for selected taxa of the commonest neotropical groups: Sididae, Daphniidae, Bosminidae, Macrothricidae, and Chydoridae.

MOINA DUMONTI SP. NOV. (CLADOCERA, ANOMOPODA, MOINIDAE) FROM SOUTHERN MEXICO AND CUBA, WITH COMMENTS ON MOINID LIMBS

[A new species, Moina dumonti sp. nov. (Branchiopoda, Anomopoda, Moinidae) is found in southern Mexico and Cuba. This species is closely similar to Moina reticulata, because of (1) body rather laterally compressed; (2) brood pouch in large adults slightly inflated, as a result dorsum of valves only slightly convex; (3) presence of an ocellus; (4) no hairs on head and valves; (5) a single egg in the ephippium; (6) gonopores in male positioned dorso-distally. Differences of M. dumonti sp. nov. with other members of the M. reticulata-group, and some other closely similar species, are listed. Comments are given on the morphology of the limbs in moinids. Una nueva especie, Moina dumonti sp. nov. (Branchiopoda, Anomopoda, Moinidae) se encuentra en el sureste de Mexico y Cuba. Esta especie esta relacionada con Moina reticulata por las siguientes caracteristicas: (1) cuerpo relativamente comprimido lateralmente; (2) la camara embrionaria de los adultos grandes se encuentra ligeramente inflada, como resultado el dorso de las valvas es ligeramente convexo; (3) la presencia de un ocelo; (4) no presenta pelos en la cabeza y las valvas; (5) tiene un solo huevo en el efipio; (6) los gonoporos se encuentran en posicion dorso-distal en el macho. Se enlistan las diferencias de M. dumonti sp. nov. con respecto a otros miembros del grupo M. reticulata y algunas especies cercanas. Finalmente, se incorporan una serie de comentarios sobre la morfologia de los apendices toracicos de los moinidos., A new species, Moina dumonti sp. nov. (Branchiopoda, Anomopoda, Moinidae) is found in southern Mexico and Cuba. This species is closely similar to Moina reticulata, because of (1) body rather laterally compressed; (2) brood pouch in large adults slightly inflated, as a result dorsum of valves only slightly convex; (3) presence of an ocellus; (4) no hairs on head and valves; (5) a single egg in the ephippium; (6) gonopores in male positioned dorso-distally. Differences of M. dumonti sp. nov. with other members of the M. reticulata-group, and some other closely similar species, are listed. Comments are given on the morphology of the limbs in moinids. Una nueva especie, Moina dumonti sp. nov. (Branchiopoda, Anomopoda, Moinidae) se encuentra en el sureste de Mexico y Cuba. Esta especie esta relacionada con Moina reticulata por las siguientes caracteristicas: (1) cuerpo relativamente comprimido lateralmente; (2) la camara embrionaria de los adultos grandes se encuentra ligeramente inflada, como resultado el dorso de las valvas es ligeramente convexo; (3) la presencia de un ocelo; (4) no presenta pelos en la cabeza y las valvas; (5) tiene un solo huevo en el efipio; (6) los gonoporos se encuentran en posicion dorso-distal en el macho. Se enlistan las diferencias de M. dumonti sp. nov. con respecto a otros miembros del grupo M. reticulata y algunas especies cercanas. Finalmente, se incorporan una serie de comentarios sobre la morfologia de los apendices toracicos de los moinidos.]

A REDESCRIPTION OF MOINA HUTCHINSONI, A RARE CLADOCERAN (BRANCHIOPODA: ANOMOPODA) FOUND IN REMNANTS OF A MEXICAN SALINE LAKE, WITH NOTES ON ITS LIFE HISTORY

Abstract Moina hutchinsoni Brehm, 1937, a nearctic anomopod cladoceran, was observed in shallow ephemeral ponds of the former Texcoco Lake, near Mexico City, Mexico. The type material, from Lake Winnemucca, Nevada, was considered lost; additional topotypic material could not be obtained from that locality because the site is completely dry. The species is redescribed herein based on specimens from Texcoco Lake and Border Lake, Nebraska. Specimens from these localities were compared to study the morphological variability of this species; differences were found in the cuticular hair patterns on head, body, antennules, and second antennae, in the number of feathered setae on the postabdomen, and in the structure of pectens in claws. The life cycle of this rare species was analyzed in the laboratory. In culture, diet consisted of the microalgae Ankistrodesmus falcatus (freshwater) and Chlorella sp. (marine); both algae were consumed by the cladoceran. Culture temperature ranged between 15° and 20°C, and salinity range was 5–25 g L−1. Cultured specimens were significantly larger than those from field populations. Lower temperatures correlated with a delayed first reproduction and with a longer inactive time between succeeding clutches. The wide thermal and salinity ranges tested during culturing, plus the ability of these animals to consume algae not normally found in its natural environment, suggest a euryecious character of this species in laboratory conditions that contrasts with the affinity of natural populations for high-salinity habitats. The lifespan of this species is longer than that of other moinids; it may be the longest-lived species within the Moinidae. The average clutch size ranged from 12 to 24.8 neonates; optimal environmental conditions differed for number of neonates and maximum clutch size. Loss of the natural environments (saline lakes) where this rare species has been recorded, both in Mexico and U.S.A., suggests an endangered status of this cladoceran.

Rotifers (Rotifera) from four natural water bodies of central Mexico

Abstract Faunistic analysis from the Iakes Zirahuen, El Bordito, Cuitzeo and Zacapu (State of Michoacan, Mexico) revealed the presence of 110 rotifer taxa. 9 genera and 29 species are new to Mexico. The new records are: Cephalodella megalocephala ( Glascott , 1893); C. globata ( Gosse , 1887); Cupelopagis vorax ( Leidy , 1857); Eothinia elongata ( Ehrenberg , 1832); Lecane bifurca ( Bryce , 1892); L. decipiens ( Murray , 1913); L. elegans Harring , 1914; L. leontina ( Turner , 1892); L. monostyla ( Daday , 1897); L. nodosa Hauer , 1938; L. ruttneri Hauer , 1938; L. ungulata ( Gosse , 1887); Lepadella astacicola ( Hauer , 1926); L. benjamini Harring , 1916; L. ehrenbergi ( Perty , 1850); Lindia ecela Myers , 1933 ; Macrochaetus subquadratus ( Perty , 1850); Monommata diaphora Myers , 1930; Notommata cerberus ( Gosse , 1886), N. copeus Ehrenberg , 1834; Proales sordida Gosse , 1886; Resticula gelida Harring & Myers , 1922 ; R. nyssa Harring & Myers , 1924 ; Sinantherina ariprepes Edmonson , 1939; S. semibullata ( Thorpe , 1889); Sphyrias lofauna ( Rousselet , 1910); Testudinella incisa ( Tarnetz , 1892); Tetrasiphon hydrocera Ehrenberg , 1840 and Trichocerca musculus ( Hauer , 1935). Notommata tripus Ehrenberg , 1838 earlier observed from Mexico, but not illustrated, has been depicted in the present study. Comments to diagnostic characteristics and the zoogeographical distribution of the new rotifer taxa are given. All new records have been illustrated.