VALLARTA-ZARATE, Juan Roberto F.; VASQUEZ-ORTIZ, Mario; PAYAN-ALEJO, Jorge    ROJAS-GONZALEZ, R. Isaac. Patterns of distribution of the pelagic red crab (Pleuroncodes planipes) on the western coast of the Baja California Peninsula, Mexico. Rev. Mex. Biodiv. []. 2023, 94, e944862.   31--2023. ISSN 2007-8706.  https://doi.org/10.22201/ib.20078706e.2023.94.4862.

The pelagic red crab Pleuroncodes planipes is distributed in the eastern Pacific Ocean along the west coast of Baja California Peninsula and the Gulf of California. The distribution pattern of the pelagic phase of red crab was analyzed in function of environmental conditions during 2 fishery research surveys carried out during spring-summer 2019. During both cruises the red crab was collected from a total of 50 midwater trawl net trawls. The biomass of the red crab was estimated using the swept area method. The sea surface temperature and chlorophyll-a concentration were the most influential variables to explain its distribution patterns. The distribution of catches was analyzed through spatial index to find pattern and high-density aggregations, highlighting a possible gravity center at the Gulf of Ulloa, which could be a possible nursery area, from where the species desplaces towards north of the Mexican Pacific Ocean.

: Mexican Pacific; Spatial indices; Sustainable use.

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