Benthic marine algae of Loreto Bay, Baja California Sur, Mexico

Abstract

Ten sites in the Loreto Bay, Baja California Sur, Mexico, were sampled seasonally during 1996 and 1997, in the center zone of the Gulf of California. The collections of the species was manually in the intertidal and subtidal (3 m, SCUBA) zone in the localities distributed in the bay and surroun ding islands. A total of 62 taxa of benthic marine algae were determined. Rhodophyceae was represen ted by 62 species, Phaeophyceae by 15 species and Chlorophyceae by 7 species. The families with best representation are: Rhodomelaceae with 14 species, Ceramiaceae and Ulvaceae each one with 8, Gracilariaceae and Dictyotaceae each one with 7, besides Cystocloniaceae and Scytosipho naceae each one with 5. Of these, 46 species are new records for Loreto Bay, Baja California Sur, Mexico. The highest diversity was found in winter with 57 species, spring with 63, and summer with 62, and lower number during autumn 41, when temperateures are lowest. The higher divertity was found at Carmen I., Coronados I. El Basurero and Campo de Golf, were diversity reached 44 to 57 species, sites collections localized in mainly the northern part of the Bay; meanwhile the low diversity were determinate at Juncalito with 28 and central area at Carmen I. with 36 species. The most common species regardless to distribution and occurrence over time were: Gelidiopsis variavilis, Hypnea jonhstonii, Laurencia jonhstoniei, Laurencia papillosa, Amphyroa beauvosii, Coralina frondescens, Pterocladiella capillacea, Colpomenia tuberculata, Rosenvingea intricara, Dictyota dichotoma, Padina durvillaei, Sargassum sinicola, Sargassum lapazeanum, Codium simulans, and Ulva expansa.