Luis M. Mejía-Ortíz

Luis M. Mejía-Ortíz
University of Quintana Roo | UQROO · Departamento de Ciencias y Humanidades

Ph. D.

About

75
Publications
27,381
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726
Citations
Additional affiliations
September 1995 - December 2003
Metropolitan Autonomous University
Position
  • Professor (Associate)
August 2004 - present
University of Quintana Roo
Position
  • Professor (Full)

Publications

Publications (75)
Article
Full-text available
There has been a recent increase in research on coastal karst, revealing numerous morphologies connected to the relative sea-level position. In particular, the flank margin caves are recognized as excellent markers of ancient sea-level changes and paleo-coast lines. Here, we characterized the Cozumel flank margin caves using cave morphology and mor...
Article
Full-text available
Subterranean estuaries are coastal ecosystems characterized by vertically stratified groundwater. The biota within these ecosystems is relatively understudied due to the inherent difficulty of accessing such extreme environments. The fauna inhabiting these ecosystems is considered vulnerable to extinction, and the presence of cryptic species has ma...
Article
Full-text available
The calanoid copepod family Epacteriscidae is one of the most representative cave-dwelling copepods worldwide, especially in the Caribbean region. We provide new records of two epacteriscid copepods from anchialine habitats of the Yucatan Peninsula (YP); both were previously known only from their type locality in Jamaica and Caicos Islands. We docu...
Article
Full-text available
The herpetofauna of the insular systems of Mexico is composed of 226 species, of which 14 are anurans, two are salamanders, and 210 are reptiles, comprised of two crocodilians, 195 squamates, and 13 turtles. Although the surface of the Mexican islands is only 0.26% of the Mexican territorial extension, these 226 species constitute 16.1% of Mexico’s...
Article
Full-text available
The collapse of the Maya civilization in the late 1st/early 2nd millennium CE has been attributed to multiple internal and external causes including overpopulation, increased warfare, and environmental deterioration. Yet the role hurricanes may have played in the fracturing of Maya socio-political networks, site abandonment, and cultural reconfigur...
Chapter
Full-text available
The Mexican Caribbean coast has great scenic beauty both on the surface and underwater, which is why it has been a developing area for tourism since the 1970s, establishing sites such as Cancun and Playa del Carmen and empowering others such as Cozumel and Tulum. Their biological richness is enormous, especially in the Mesoamerican Reef of which th...
Article
Isolated carbonate banks in stable tectonic settings are ideal for understanding the architecture of sedimentary systems and their response to flooding events. Within these environments, sea-level changes play a primary role in depositing sedimentary units during high sea levels and unconformities during sea-level drops. Microfacies analysis and ge...
Conference Paper
Full-text available
The Cozumel island is composed of young carbonate rocks and represents an excellent example of a simple carbonate island. The karst evolution and geomorphological configuration of the island are related to coastal processes, glacioeustatic changes, and dissolution within the mixing zone. Solutional structures like caves have been documented but poo...
Article
Full-text available
Relative humidity (RH) was measured at hourly intervals for approximately one year in two caves at seven stations near Playa del Carmen in Quintana Roo, Mexico. Sistema Muévelo Rico is a 1.1 km long cave with 12 entrances and almost no dark zone. Río Secreto (Tuch) is a large river cave with more than 40 km of passages, and an extensive dark zone....
Article
In a recent revision of the Barbouridae Christoffersen, 1987, the authorship for the subfamily Calliasmatinae was cited as “Holthuis, 1973.” This is incorrect as the subfamily name has not been used before. We here diagnose the Calliasmatinae as a new subfamily and validate the name. All members of the new taxon are endemic to anchialine caves. We...
Chapter
Full-text available
The subterranean ecosystems in tropical areas of Mexico, North of Guatemala & Belize are very abundant because the karstic soil that allow these formations are the main composition in the Yucatán Peninsula and several mountains systems in these countries; also, they have a strong relationship with tropical forest adjacent where the main energy into...
Article
Full-text available
Subsurface mixing of seawater and terrestrial-borne meteoric waters on carbonate landscapes creates karst subterranean estuaries, an area of the coastal aquifer with poorly understood carbon cycling, ecosystem functioning, and impact on submarine groundwater discharge. Caves in karst platforms facilitate water and material exchange between the mari...
Preprint
Full-text available
Subsurface mixing of seawater and terrestrial-borne meteoric waters on carbonate landscapes creates karst subterranean estuaries, an area of the coastal aquifer with poorly understood carbon cycling, ecosystem functioning, and impact on submarine groundwater discharge. Caves in karst platforms facilitate water and material exchange between the mari...
Preprint
Full-text available
Relative humidity (RH) was measured at hourly intervals for approximately one year in two caves at seven stations near Playa del Carmen in Quintana Roo, Mexico. Sistema Muévelo Rico is a 1.1 km long cave with 12 entrances and almost no dark zone. Río Secreto (Tuch) is a large river cave with more than 40 km of passages, and an extensive dark zone....
Article
Full-text available
Hourly temperature was measured for approximately one year at 17 stations in three caves in Quintana Roo, Mexico. Thirteen of these stations were in the extensive twilight zones of all three caves. All seventeen stations showed seasonality in temperature with a 3°C drop during the Nortes season. Two of the caves, Muévelo Sabrosito and Muévelo Rico,...
Chapter
Freshwater crustacean inland fisheries are typically confined to small local areas that are associated with bodies of water, like rivers and swamps. They are small-scale fisheries, enough to supply the requirements for local commercial use, and considered mainly as a subsistence resource for small fishing communities. As such, inland crustacean fis...
Preprint
Full-text available
Hourly temperature was measured for approximately one year at 17 stations in three caves in Quintana Roo, Mexico. Thirteen of these stations were in the extensive twilight zones of all three caves. All seventeen stations showed seasonality in temperature with a 3 °C drop during the Nortes season. Two of the caves, Muévelo Sabrosito and Muévelo Rico...
Article
Full-text available
Barbouriidae Christoffersen, 1987 is a family comprised of 4 genera and 11 species of enigmatic shrimps restricted to anchialine or marine caves whose evolutionary history and relationships remain elusive. We investigated the evolutionary relationships among members of Barbouriidae with the inclusion of four genera and nine species, and newly colle...
Article
Full-text available
Due to their peculiar and sometimes bizarre morphology, cave fauna (across invertebrates and vertebrates from both aquatic and terrestrial cave habitats) have fascinated researchers throughout history. Despite their success in colonizing most marine ecosystems, the adaptations of cave brittle stars (Ophiuroidea) to a stygobiotic lifestyle have been...
Article
Full-text available
The Caribbean spiny lobster Panulirus argus (Latreille, 1804) is an important species in shallow-water coral reefs and target of the most lucrative fishery in the Caribbean Sea. We explored historical demography in P. argus inferred using single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). We expected an increase in population size of P. argus from Florida, US...
Article
Full-text available
Marine organisms with a short pelagic larval duration (PLD) are assumed to display significant population structure given low long-distance dispersal ability. For the wider Caribbean, theoretical and empirical considerations suggest that species with short PLD inhabiting each of the following areas should be genetically distinct: Costa Rica (CR), M...
Article
Full-text available
Integrated coastal management (ICM) has been considered worldwide to be a suitable approach to realizing comprehensive schemes to protect or develop coastal regions. A complex regulatory system stretching from international to local levels provides a framework for ICM practices. This raises the question whether and to what extent ICM practices have...
Article
Full-text available
Sistema Muévelo Rico is a 1.2 km long cave in Quintana Roo, less than 2 km from the Caribbean Sea. We measured illuminance to a level of 0.1 lux, organic matter (weight loss on ignition), temperature, and relative humidity. The last two were measured at hourly intervals for nearly one year. Approximately one-third of the cave has illuminance values...
Article
Full-text available
Recent studies of the trophic structure of the underwater cave ecosystems in the Yucatán Peninsula have regarded the largest crustacean inhabitant, the blind palaemonid shrimp Creaseria morleyi (Creaser, 1936), as a scavenger and predator without any evidence on the behavior of the shrimp. The predatory behavior of C. morleyi is here described for...
Article
Full-text available
Two new species of anchialine cave shrimp from Cozumel Island are described. A new species from the family Agostocarididae, Agostocaris zabaletai n. sp., occurs in three cenotes on the island (Chempita, Chankanaab System and Tres Potrillos). This new species is closely related to Agostocaris bozanici that is known from one isolated cenote in anothe...
Article
There are three main drainage slopes in Guatemala; from these around eight Macrobrachiumspecies with extended larval development have been reported. In this paper, we describe the first species with abbreviated larval development for Guatemala, Macrobrachium cemainov. sp. This is a freshwater prawn of medium size, with large second pereiopods in re...
Article
Mutualisms between chemosynthetic microbes and invertebrates form the basis of foodwebs in dark, extreme habitats (hydrothermal vents, cold seeps) and have likely facilitated the invasion of extreme underwater caves, as well. Anchialine caves often include distinct water layers of varying concentrations of dissolved oxygen and sulfide and provide a...
Article
Mutualisms with chemosynthetic microbes are surprisingly rare in arthropods and their relatives. Despite the evolutionary benefit assumed in retaining symbionts through growth cycles, this molting group also lacks intracellular mutualisms. The current study provides evidence of the first chemosynthetic intracellular symbiosis in Arthropoda (Crustac...
Article
Anchialine systems are unusual among aquatic habitats in that they are subterranean karst systems in which marine and overlying groundwater are separated by distinct haloclines and characterized by high sulphur content, darkness and low nutrient availability. In this study, we examine how the antennulae, antennae, eyes and integument morphology of...
Article
Full-text available
RESUMEN Los isópodos son un grupo de crustáceos muy diverso, sin embargo, existe poca información sobre la ecología y biología de los isópodos es gobiontes a pesar de su gran importancia en ecosistemas subterráneos; la mayoría de los trabajos se limitan a la descripción de nuevas especies y registros de las ya conocidas. El Presente trabajo present...
Article
In the Papaloapan River two freshwater prawns with abbreviated development have been recorded: Macrobrachium villalobosi (a stygobitic species) and Macrobrachium totonacum (an epigeal species). In this paper we describe four new species from this genus, and the distribution of these six species along the river basin. M. oaxacae nov. sp. occurs in t...
Article
Full-text available
There are several adaptations shown by crustaceans to cave life; namely: vision loss, lack of pigmentation, specialization of sensory structures and elongation of ambulatory appendages. Since it has been mentioned in the literature that food scarcity is the evolutionary force and that in anchialine caves the main energy source is produced by bacter...
Article
Full-text available
There are several adaptations shown by crustaceans to cave life; namely: vision loss, lack of pigmentation, specialization of sensory structures and elongation of ambulatory appendages. Since it has been mentioned in the literature that food scarcity is the evolutionary force and that in anchialine caves the main energy source is produced by bacter...
Article
Full-text available
The second cave species of the genus Cryphiops from Chiapas, Mexico is described. Cryphiops sbordonii sp. nov. is similar to Cryphiops luscus in exhibiting reduced eyes, and an enlargement of ambulatory appendages. It differs from this species in ornamentation of the rostrum, proportions of the articles of the first and the second pereiopods, and p...
Article
The distribution of different species belonging to the freshwater shrimp genus Macrobrachium was studied along an altitudinal gradient in the Huitzilapan River, Veracruz, Mexico. Population surveys of M. heterochirus, M. carcinus and M. acanthurus were conducted along an 80 km long river stretch that started at 1045 m above sea level (asl) and ende...
Article
Abbreviated larval development is described and illustrated for Macrobrachium totonacum Mejía, Alvarez & Hartnoll, 2003, a recently described freshwater prawn with three larval stages. The study is based on laboratory-reared material. Females carry 18 eggs on average, with a maximum of 28. The average egg diameter is 2.1 mm. The first larval stage...
Article
Full-text available
The echinoderm fauna from two anchialine caves in Cozumel Island were collected in order to know the cave diversity species from this area. Echinoderms were collected in salt water from each cave by SCUBA diving during different explorations. Physical-chemical parameters of the habitats were collected. The principal species identified were Asterini...
Article
Baldari, Fabiola, Mejía-Ortíz, Luis M., López-Mejía, Marilú (2010): A new cave species of Cryphiops (Crustacea: Decapoda: Palaemonidae) from Southern Mexico. Zootaxa 2427: 47-54, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.194632
Article
Procambarus (Austrocambarus) cavernicola, una nueva especie de acocil estigobio conocida solo en la Cueva Gabriel, Oaxaca, México, es descrita. Esta nueva especie se caracteriza por un cuerpo sin pigmentación, con excepción de un pequeño punto purpura sobre los ojos; con pequeñas setas en la punta del ojo; quelípedos alargados, la superficie de la...
Article
Macrobrachium vicconi, new species, from a rain forest of southeastern Mexico is described. It is similar to Macrobrachium quelchi and Macrobrachium atabapense in total length, partially abbreviated larval development, and cornea not reduced. Macrobrachium vicconi differs from those species in the size-ratio of the articles of the legs, the spinous...
Article
The stygobitic crayfish Procambarus cavernicola and Procambarus oaxacae reddelli and the epigeal crayfish Procambarus olmecorum were maintained in laboratory conditions in order to compare their oxygen consumption rates by measuring the decreasing oxygen concentration. These closely related species belong to the same subgenus and live in nearby cav...
Article
Eyestalk length, internal eye structure, pigmented eye area, and pigments in eyes and exoskeleton were studied in two stygobiont crayfish, Procambarus cavernicola and Procambarus oaxacae reddelli. Results were compared with the epigeal crayfish Procambarus olmecorum, all three species inhabiting the karstic region of Acatlan, Oaxaca, Mexico. The st...
Article
Full-text available
The fourth stygobitic species of the genus Macrobrachium from caves in America is described. Macrobrachium sbordo- nii, a new species inhabiting a cave of Chiapas Mexico, is similar to M. villalobosi, M. acheronthium and M. catonium in exhibiting reduced eyes, unpigmentated body and enlargement of ambulatory appendages. It differs from these in len...
Article
Full-text available
The fourth stygobitic species of the genus Macrobrachium from caves in America is described. Macrobrachium sbordonii, a new species inhabiting a cave of Chiapas Mexico, is similar to M. villalobosi, M. acheronthium and M. catonium in exhibiting reduced eyes, unpigmentated body and enlargement of ambulatory appendages. It differs from these in lengt...
Article
A new species of the genus Barbouria from Cozumel Island, Mexico, is described. The new species, Barbouria yanezi is similar to Barbouria cubensis in exhibiting a cornea narrower than the eyestalk, and in its telson ornamentation, but differs from the latter species in the number of rostral spines, the proportions of the scaphocerite, the relative...
Data
FIGURE 3. Macrobrachium sbordonii new species, male holotype CNCR 25050. A, distal portion of antennal peduncle; B, appendix masculina on second pleopod; C, distal portion of antennular peduncle; D – H, first through fifth pereiopods, respectively. Scale bars represent: A – C, 2 mm; D – H, 5 mm.
Data
FIGURE 4. Macrobrachium sbordonii new species, male holotype CNCR 25050. A, right mandible; B, right maxillule; C, right maxilla; D, first maxilliped; E, second maxilliped; F, third maxilliped; G, telson and uropods. Scale bars represent: A – E, 2 mm; F – G, 5 mm.
Article
Five surveys in an anchialine cave from Cozumel Island, Mexico, were made in order to determine the diversity of invertebrates, especially of the phylum Echinodermata. Aerolito sinkhole (cenote), with an open coastal waters connection, was explored and the organisms were sampled by hand. The abiotic parameters (conductivity, salinity, oxygen, tempe...
Article
Full-text available
4 Abstract: Cozumel Island is a Caribbean locale having karst as the main component of its surface. Known caves are steep-sided, water-filled sinkholes (cenotes), and almost all of them are considered to be anchialine caves because they have seawater connections. In order to identify the location of as many cenotes as possible on the island, we bas...
Article
Full-text available
Sensory and ambulatory appendages were compared between epigeal and cave species of prawn and crayfish from Mexico. The cave prawn Macrobrachium villalobosi was compared with the epigeal M. totonacum . The cave crayfish Procambarus cavernicola and P. oaxacae reddelli were compared with the epigeal P. olmecorum. In both Macrobrachium and Procambarus...
Article
Cave animals show various adaptations to survival in their unusual environment, involving their physiology, behaviour, life history, and morphology. The morphological adaptations include enlargement of the sensory and ambulatory appendages, reduction or lack of pigment in the integument, and reduction or loss of eyes. In general, the eyes of cave a...
Article
Full-text available
A new species of crayfish from Camino a Olotla, Tlanchinol County, Hidalgo, Mexico, is described. Procambarus (Ortmannicus) hidal-goensis is most closely related to P. (O.) cuevachicae (Hobbs, 1941) and P. (O.) toltecae Hobbs, 1943, from which it can be distinguished by having a gonopod with a mesial process slightly flattened distally and directed...
Article
Eyestalk length, internal eye structure, pigmented eye area, and pigments in eyes and exoskeleton were studied in two stygobiont crayfish, Procambarus cavernicola and Procambarus oaxacae reddelli. Results were compared with the epigeal crayfish Procambarus olmecorum, all three species inhabiting the karstic region of Acatlan, Oaxaca, Mexico. The st...
Article
Full-text available
Procambarus (Villalobosus) chacalli is a new species of crayfish from ponds at Manantial de Dejigui, Huayacocotla County, Veracruz, Mexico. It can be placed in the Erichsoni Group of the subgenus because the gonopod (first pleopod) of the first form male has a flared, broadly curved caudal process. Within the Group it is most similar to P. (V.) eri...
Article
A new species of crayfish from Atezca, near Molango, Hidalgo, Mexico, is described. Procambarus (Villalobosus) achilli sp. nov., can be placed in the erichsoni-group, being morphologically similar to Procambarus (V.) contrerasi and Procambarus (V.) erichsoni, from which it can be distinguished by a gonopod with a mesial process shorter than the ter...
Article
A new species of the genus Macrobrachium from northern Oaxaca, Mexico, with abbreviated larval development, is described. Macrobrachium totonacum new species, is similar to M. tuxtlaense and M. vicconi in exhibiting abbreviated larval development, but differs from these in the length of the first pereiopod and relative proportions of the articles o...
Article
The community structure of a tropical pond located in Mexico City was described. Primary producers were diverse and abundant and macrophyte components provide a broad habitat diversity. Major biotic components in the water column were algae of the genera Microcystis, Scenedesmus and Chlamydomonas. Mats of Cyclotella were located in deeper, shaded a...
Chapter
Full-text available
The distribution and abundance of the stygobiont copepod Diacyclops sp., as well as values of some environmental variables (depth of the pools, temperature, dissolved oxygen, pH, percent saturated oxygen and organic matter content) in Gabriel Cave are reported for the first time. The copepods were collected in 12 pools using traps and plankton nets...
Article
Three aspects of the reproductive biology (fecundity, size of ovigerous females, and egg size) of the freshwater prawns Macrobrachium acanthurus, M. heterochirus, and M. carcinus, in the Huitzilapan river, Veracruz, Mexico, were studied. Adults of Macrobrachium acanthurus and M. carcinus occupied the lower part of the river in the estuarine area, w...

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