Abstract

GONZALEZ-ACOSTA, Adrián F.; RUIZ-CAMPOS, Gorgonio; CRUZ-ESCALONA, Víctor Hugo  and  URCADIZ-CAZAREZ, Francisco Javier. An annotated checklist of fish fauna from Mulege River estuary, Gulf of California, Mexico. Rev. Mex. Biodiv. [online]. 2021, vol.92, e923616.  Epub Nov 29, 2021. ISSN 2007-8706.  https://doi.org/10.22201/ib.20078706e.2021.92.3616.

The Mulege River is one of the 2 estuarine ecosystems in the western coast of the Gulf of California. Due to the lack of ichthyological studies for this estuarine ecosystem, an updated inventory of its fish fauna is documented here, based on records from scientific literature, fish collections, and recent field samplings, complemented with zoogeographic information and conservation status of the species. The list includes 2 classes, 8 orders, 22 families, 38 genera, and 47 species, with predominance of the class Actinopterygii (96.5%), the order Perciformes (12 families, 25 genera and 33 species) and the families: Carangidae (3 genera and 5 species) and Gerreidae (4 genera and 5 species). The higher zoogeographic affinity is with the Cortezian province (83%). The occurrence of the endemic Barbulifer pantherinus and 2 exotics (Poecilia reticulata and Coptodon zillii) is remarkable. Most fish species (78.7%) in this ecosystem are of least concern (LC) according to the IUCN Red List of Endangered Species.

Keywords : Mulege River; Gulf of California; Fish fauna; Diversity; Conservation.