Lourdes Vásquez-Yeomans

• MS
• Researcher at El Colegio de la Frontera Sur

Despite the threat that lionfishes pose to non-native marine ecosystems worldwide, their early life stages (ELS) remain difficult to distinguish from morphologically similar taxa due to inadequate descriptions and poorly defined taxonomic characters. Two members of the Indo-Pacific marine assemblage commonly known as lionfishes, zebrafishes, firefi...

Background Aquatic ecosystems in the tropics are typically environments with a high species richness of fishes. These systems are also among the most vulnerable in the world, threatening the overall biodiversity of tropical regions. As a first step, it is important to enumerate the species in any ecosystem to promote its conservation. This study ai...

In the Caribbean Sea and adjacent areas, squids of the genus Abralia are a key component in the cephalopod community. However, the distribution and abundance of their paralarvae in this region are unknown, as well as their morphology in early development, making their identification difficult. In this study, paralarvae of Abralia spp. from surface...

Members of the parasitic copepod family Pennellidae are highly transformed ecto- or mesoparasites infecting a wide array of marine teleosts. Currently, this family contains more than 20 valid genera. The pennellid genus Cardiodectes Wilson, 1917 is currently known to contain 15 nominal species. Some pennellids exhibit a complex life cycle involving...

A new planktonic species of the marine water mites of the family Pontarachnidae Koenike, 1910 is described from Corozal Bay, an estuarine system in Belize. The morphological description includes Scanning Electronic Microscope (SEM) images and is augmented by an analysis of DNA cytochrome c oxidase I (COI) sequences, the DNA barcode, used for the fi...

The community structure and variability of the hyperiid amphipods of the Northwestern Tropical Atlantic (NWTA) remain largely unknown. We described and analyzed the hyperiid nictemeral, vertical, and horizontal distribution and the influence of environmental variables in the upper 100 m of the northwestern Caribbean Sea. We examined 196 zooplankton...

Horizontal and vertical distribution of cephalopod paralarvae (PL) from the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef System (MBRS) in the Western Caribbean was studied during two oceanographic cruises in 2006 and 2007. A total of 1034 PL belonging to 12 families, 22 genera, 24 species, 5 morphotypes and a species complex were identified. Abralia redfieldi, Onycho...

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The western Caribbean, a subarea of the Caribbean Sea Large Marine Ecosystem, includes the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef System, the Yucatan Basin, the Cayman Basin and the Yucatan Channel. Here we discuss the main oceanographic features of the western Caribbean Sea and present some examples of marine resources distributed throughout the western Caribb...

In the waters surrounding Banco Chinchorro in the Mexican Caribbean are spawning and nursery areas for many types of fish. In this natural environment, as opposed to under controlled laboratory conditions, it is almost impossible to link an individual egg to the adult that laid it. This makes identifying the species of the eggs difficult. However,...

Background: Barcode coverage is difficult to assess for large regions due to incomplete species lists, inaccurate identifications, and cryptic diversity. However, as coverage approaches completion, it becomes possible to critically evaluate identifications and validate barcode lineages. We collate the results of the FISH-BOL barcode project and ass...

Fish larvae associated to the inlet of Yucatan, México ports of Chuburná and Yucalpeten were analyzed with light traps along an annual cycle (2009). A total of 193 fish larvae with average size of 1.5 ± 0.2 cm was captured; they represented 13 species distributed in six fish families. Eucinostomus argenteus (45.1%), Sardinella aurita (30.1%) and Ha...

Las investigaciones de zooplancton marino en el sureste de México (1985-2010): logros y perspectivas institucionales Marine zooplankton research in southeastern Mexico (1985-2010): institutional achievements and perspectives Resumen En México, el estudio del zooplancton marino muestra una clara regionalización de los grupos de trabajo que varía en...

Las investigaciones de zooplancton marino en el sureste de México (1985-2010): logros y perspectivas institucionales Marine zooplankton research in southeastern Mexico (1985-2010): institutional achievements and perspectives Resumen En México, el estudio del zooplancton marino muestra una clara regionalización de los grupos de trabajo que varía en...

The bay of Chetumal, in the Western Caribbean, is regarded as an uniformly hypohaline and oligotrophic system. In order to define if the zooplankton biomass shows a homogeneous behavior in this coastal system we analyzed the spatio-temporal variation of this parameter (wet weight: mg m-3) during two years (1996, 1997). During 1996, the average annu...

The bay of Chetumal, in the Western Caribbean, is regarded as an uniformly hypohaline and oligotrophic system. In order to define if the zooplankton biomass shows a homogeneous behavior in this coastal system we analyzed the spatio-temporal variation of this parameter (wet weight: mg m-3) during two years (1996, 1997). During 1996, the average annu...

The Mesoamerican Barrier Reef System (MBRS) contains a diverse array of coastal habitats that are critical for the survival of the early stages of reef fish; however, the knowledge on the abundance and distribution of the early stages of coastal fishes is still limited in this region. This study investigated the species richness of larval and juven...

The first record of a lionfish larva Pterois volitans (Linnaeus 1758) collected from the ichthy-oplankton in the Atlantic was found within the Yucatan current off the Western Caribbean, near Cancun, Mexico. The postflexion larva measured 8 mm standard length and was collected using a neuston net aboard the NOAA Ship Gordon Gunter on April 10, 2010....

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 spec...

Additional larval, juvenile, and adult specimens and live photographs of the Caribbean Kuna Goby, Coryphopterus kuna, expand the known geographic range for the species and allow a comprehensive description of all the life stages for this recently-discovered species, including age and growth estimates from daily otolith increments. The Kuna Goby is...

Overall patterns of distribution and abundance of Albula spp. leptocephali larvae offshore in the western Caribbean Sea (CAS) and Gulf of Mexico (GOM), and in coastal waters of the Mexican Caribbean (MXC) were analyzed from: (a) cruise data available from the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia (CAS, GOM) and (b) coastal plankton surveys (1...

Fish larvae of 36 marine fish families were obtained in plankton samples from 15 sites in Banco Chinchorro, western Mexican Caribbean Sea in September 1999 and March 2000. Fish larvae were more abundant in Chinchorro lagoon as compared to the oceanic zone. However, these high abundances were mainly made up of larvae of Labrisomidae (21%). Higher la...

The seasonal variation in the diversity of ichthyoplankton was analyzed from samples collected monthly during a year cycle off the central Pacific coast of Mexico. Samples were collected using a Bongo net at 12 stations during 11 months, from December 1995 through December 1996. The most dominant species was Bregmaceros bathymaster, its relative de...

Preliminary information is presented on occurrence and use of tarpon in cenotes (karstic sinkholes) in central Quintana Roo, Mexican Caribbean versant, as well as records of larvae, juveniles and adults in reefs, lagoons and wetlands along this coast. Tarpon, locally known as "sábalo", have been recorded in three cenotes within Sian Ka'an Biosphere...

Interannual ichthyoplankton variation, was analyzed in Bahía de la Ascensión, Mexico, during December of four consecutive years (1994-1997). A total of 32 families, 35 genera and 21 species of fish larvae were identified. The most abundant fish larvae were the Gobiidae followed by the Callionymidae, Clupeidae and Tetraodontidae. Larval diversity wa...

Interannual ichthyoplankton variation, was analyzed in Bahía de la Ascensión, Mexico, during December of four consecutive years (1994-1997). A total of 32 families, 35 genera and 21 species of fish larvae were identified. The most abundant fish larvae were the Gobiidae followed by the Callionymidae, Clupeidae and Tetraodontidae. Larval diversity wa...

Composition, distribution and abundance, and seasonal variations thereof, in Chetumal Bay, the estuary of the Hondo River into the Caribbean Sea.

The plankton of Bahia de la Ascension was sampled monthly, from August 1990 to July 1991, to ascertain ichthyoplankton composition, abundance, and seasonality. These data were used to assess the inferred function of the bay as spawning and nursery grounds. Fifty-one families, 66 genera, and 53 species of fish embryos and larvae were identified. Eng...

Larval development of the California grunion, Leuresthes tenuis, from hatching to 60-days old (7.4-17.2 mm) is described based on laboratory-reared larvae. The description includes changes in pigmentation patterns and the developmental sequence of fins. The California grunion showed distinctive larval pigmentation patterns on the head, dorsal and v...

Se presenta una lista sistemática parcialmente comentada de los peces marinos del Caribe mexicano con base en los registros de las colecciones de peces y de ictioplancton de ECOSUR y un análisis crítico de la literatura. La lista incluye 577 especies, ocho de las cuales son nuevos registros para la ictiofauna caribeña de México, Rhinobatos percelle...

The taxonomic composition elf the Bahia de la Ascension ichthyoplankton has been surveyed for several years; (1900-1994). Fifty seven families, 84 genera, and 74 species of fish larvae were identified. Clupeidae, Callionymidae, Labrisomidae, and Gobiidae were the most abundant families in this bay. Larval fish diversity was highest in the rainy sea...

The taxonomic composition of the Bahia de la Ascensión ichthyoplankton has been surveyed for several years (1990-1994). Fifty seven families, 34 genera, and 74 species of fish larvae were identified. Clupeidae, Callionymidae, Labrisomidae, and Gobiidae were the most abundant families in this bay. Larval fish diversity was highest in the rainy seaso...

With the purpose of characterizing the ichthyoplankton assemblage and its distribution across the coral reef off Mahahual, Mexico (western Caribbean), a short-term and small scale survey was conducted. Plankton samples were sampled during the day and night over 4 d (30 December 1990 to 2 January 1991) in three reef zones: fore-reef, channel and ree...

A total of 800 larvae of the grunion Leuresthes tenuis, obtained by means of fertilization and artificial incubation, were cultured under laboratory conditions. The method used to incubate the eggs is described. The larvae were cultured to metamorphosis, 40 days after hatching, in rectangular tanks with 20 litres of seawater and stocking density of...

The nanoflagellateTetraselmis suecica was tested both as the sole food source and as a diet complement toArtemia nauplii for grunion,Leuresthes tenuis, larvae. A total of 4800 grunion larvae, obtained through artificial insemination and incubation, were cultivated under laboratory conditions. Growth and survival rates were registered for 14 days in...

The coastal waters of south Florida, including the coral reefs of NOAA's Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary (FKNMS), are directly connected by means of strong ocean currents with upstream waters of the western Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico. The Caribbean Current and the Loop Current provide a rapid conduit for transport from Mexican and...