Ficopomatus miamiensis (Polychaeta: Serpulidae) and Styela canopus (Ascidia: Styelidae), non-native species in Urás estuary, SE Gulf of California, Mexico
Salgado-Barragán, J.; Toledano-Granados, A. (2004). Ficopomatus miamiensis (Polychaeta: Serpulidae) and Styela canopus (Ascidia: Styelidae), non-native species in Urás estuary, SE Gulf of California, Mexico. Cah. Biol. Mar. 45(2): 167-173
In: Cahiers de Biologie Marine. Station Biologique de Roscoff: Paris. ISSN 0007-9723; e-ISSN 2262-3094, more
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Authors | | Top |
- Salgado-Barragán, J.
- Toledano-Granados, A.
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Abstract |
The polychaete Ficopomatus miamiensis, original from Florida, USA and the ascidian Styela canopus, common on the Atlantic coast of North America are reported for the first time in the Gulf of California, Pacific coast of Mexico, where they live attached to prop roots of the red mangrove (Rhizophora mangle) in Urfas estuary. They had already been reported in the eastern Pacific, in Panama Bay (both species) and San Diego, California, USA (the ascidian). A two-year survey showed thatF. miamiensis is euryoecious and that "reef'-like formations are favoured in unstable environments characterized by low oxygen and high organic matter concentrations, especially during winter. Density and distribution patterns suggest that F. miamiensis was accidentally introduced into Urfas estuary together with commercial shrimp. Although no trend on the spatial and temporal distribution was observed in the case of S. canopus, it can be presumed that it arrived in the lagoon by navigation in ballast water (highly unlikely unless attached to debris in the ballast) or attached to ship hulls or sea chests. |
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