Widespread Coral Mortality and the 1982–83 El Niño Warming Event

1984 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 133-146 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter W. Glynn
Keyword(s):  
Costa Rica ◽  
Pacific Coast ◽  
Florida Keys ◽  
Western Pacific Ocean ◽  
Coral Mortality ◽  
Tropical Eastern Pacific ◽  
Western Atlantic ◽  
Reef Corals ◽  
The Pacific ◽  
Pacific Side

The massive ‘bleaching’ (loss of zooxanthellae) and death of reef corals that occurred in one area (Gulf of Chiriquí) on the Pacific side of Panamá and in the Galápagos Islands during February—April 1983 continued in these areas until September—October 1983, resulting in a catastrophic disturbance. Similar episodes have been reported subsequently throughout much of the tropical eastern Pacific region (Costa Rica, the entire Pacific coast of Panamá, and Colombia), in the central and western Pacific Ocean, in parts of the western Atlantic Ocean (Caribbean coasts of Costa Rica, Panamá, and Colombia), and in the Florida Keys and Bahama Islands.

Extensive ‘Bleaching’ and Death of Reef Corals on the Pacific Coast of Panamá

1983 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 149-154 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter W. Glynn
Keyword(s):  
Costa Rica ◽  
Pacific Ocean ◽  
Coral Bleaching ◽  
Pacific Coast ◽  
Dry Season ◽  
Affected Area ◽  
River Drainage ◽  
Reef Corals ◽  
Bleached Coral ◽  
The Pacific

Recent ‘bleaching’ and death of hermatypic (reef-building) corals has occurred extensively in Pacific Ocean waters of Panamá (Gulf of Chiriquí), near the Panamá-Costa Rica border. All hydrocorals (Millepora spp.) and scleractinian corals (5 genera) have been affected to some degree in the non-upwelling environment of Chiriquí. No other members of the macrobenthos showed signs of stress (lowered activities, morbidity) or reduced abundance. The affected area, including the mainland, nearshore and offshore islands, and adjacent waters, is about 10,000 km2. Further surveys in the Gulf of Chiriquí may reveal even more extensive mortality.This disturbance began in the dry season (January–April 1983), during a period of clear skies, low rainfall, and minimal river drainage. I first observed large, ‘bleached’ coral patches (up to 100 m2 in area) in mid-March, and observations by others indicate that coral ‘bleaching’ occurred in February and possibly as early as mid-January. Normal and ‘bleached’ corals observed in mid-March were ‘bleached’ and dead, respectively, by the end of April, suggesting that the disturbance is protracted. By the end of the dry season, 80 to 95% of all corals in the affected areas were severely ‘bleached’ or dead.

scholarly journals Synalpheus pinkfloydi sp. nov., a new pistol shrimp from the tropical eastern Pacific (Decapoda: Alpheidae)

Zootaxa ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 4254 (1) ◽  
pp. 111 ◽  
Author(s):  
ARTHUR ANKER ◽  
KRISTIN M. HULTGREN ◽  
SAMMY DE GRAVE
Keyword(s):  
Pacific Coast ◽  
Sequence Divergence ◽  
Relative Length ◽  
Tropical Eastern Pacific ◽  
Western Atlantic ◽  
Isthmus Of Panama ◽  
The Pacific ◽  
Morphological Differences ◽  
Major Cheliped ◽  
Final Closure

A new, conspicuously coloured species of the alpheid genus Synalpheus Spence Bate, 1888, is described based on material collected on the Pacific coast of Panama. Synalpheus pinkfloydi sp. nov. is closely related to the western Atlantic S. antillensis Coutière, 1909, the two taxa being transisthmian, cryptic sister species. Both species are characterised by the distal areas of their major and minor chelae coloured in an intense, almost glowing pink-red. The morphological differences between S. pinkfloydi sp. nov. and S. antillensis Coutière, 1909 are subtle, being limited to the slightly different proportions of the merus of both chelipeds, distodorsal armature of the major cheliped merus, relative length of the antennal scaphocerite, and body size. However, they are genetically different with a 10.2% sequence divergence in COI. Based on molecular clock estimates, these transisthmian taxa diverged around 6.8–7.8 mya, i.e. well before the final closure of the Isthmus of Panama 2.5–3 mya. 

First study of the Polycladida (Rhabditophora, Platyhelminthes) from the Pacific Coast of Costa Rica

Zootaxa ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 4964 (2) ◽  
pp. 363-381
Author(s):  
PATRICIA SOUTULLO ◽  
DANIEL CUADRADO ◽  
CAROLINA NOREÑA
Keyword(s):  
Costa Rica ◽  
Intertidal Zone ◽  
Pacific Coast ◽  
New Records ◽  
Rocky Intertidal ◽  
Animal Kingdom ◽  
Invertebrate Diversity ◽  
Marine Park ◽  
Rocky Intertidal Zone ◽  
The Pacific

In the present work was carried out in the intertidal zone of Las Baulas de Guanacaste National Marine Park (PNMB) located on the Pacific coast of Costa Rica.                The main objective was to contribute to knowledge about the invertebrate diversity of the park, one of the richest bioregions on the planet, about which little is known. This study assesses the Order Polycladida Lang, 1884, a cornerstone of this ecosystem and one of the most cosmopolitan and plastic invertebrate taxa in the animal kingdom.                In total, 57 individuals were collected in the rocky intertidal zone of Carbón and Langosta beaches. Nine different species were identified, of which four are new for Costa Rica: Semonia bauliensis n. sp.; Cryptostylochus sesei n. sp.; Paraplanocera angeli n. sp., Prostheceraeus fitae n. sp.; and five new records: Paraplanocera oligoglena (Schmarda, 1859); Marcusia ernesti Hyman, 1953; Enchiridium magec Cuadrado, Moro & Noreña, 2017; Pseudobiceros bajae (Hyman, 1953); and the genus Boninia spp. 

Cimaria vargasi n. gen, n. sp. (Gastropoda: Pyramidellidae: Odostomiinae) from the Pacific Coast of Costa Rica, Central America

Zootaxa ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 3178 (1) ◽  
pp. 63
Author(s):  
TORE HØISÆTER
Keyword(s):  
Costa Rica ◽  
Central America ◽  
Pacific Coast ◽  
Biogeographic Province ◽  
The Pacific ◽  
The Family

The Panamic biogeographic province has long been thought to harbour a rich pyramidellid fauna. In the compilation of Keen (1971) the family is second only to the Turridae in being the most speciose gastropod family in the region, and no less than 350 species are listed. However a number of these have later been recognized to be synonyms, and in the update of the compilation by Skoglund (2002) the number of pyramidellids was reduced to 258.

scholarly journals A new species of Leptogorgia (Cnidaria: Anthozoa: Octocorallia) from Golfo Dulce, Pacific, Costa Rica

Zootaxa ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 3182 (1) ◽  
pp. 65 ◽  
Author(s):  
ODALISCA BREEDY ◽  
HECTOR M. GUZMAN
Keyword(s):  
New Species ◽  
Costa Rica ◽  
Pacific Coast ◽  
Single Species ◽  
San Jose ◽  
Ongoing Research ◽  
Deep Waters ◽  
The Pacific ◽  
The Pacific Ocean ◽  
A New Species

The description of this single species is necessary to facilitate the publication of ongoing research conducted by Rita Vargas at the Museum of Zoology, University of Costa Rica, dealing with the associated microfauna. Presently 24 species of Leptogorgia have been reported for the eastern Pacific, 13 of which have been found in Costa Rica (Breedy & Cortés 2011). Although octocoral surveys have been conducted as part of biodiversity studies, there is no published information regarding the occurrence of this taxon in Golfo Dulce. Here we describe a new species of Leptogorgia and compare it with other Leptogorgia species with similar characteristics. Golfo Dulce is a bay located on the southern Pacific coast of Costa Rica. It is about 50 km long, 10–15 km wide, and covers an area of approximately 680 km². The inner part of Golfo Dulce has a maximum depth of slightly over 200 m with a 60 m deep sill at the opening to the Pacific Ocean (Cortés 1999). It has been considered a tropical fjord because of the bathymetry and the presence of anoxic deep waters (Cortés 1999, Svendsen et al. 2006). Specimens were collected by Scuba diving, preserved in 70% ethanol or air dried, and treated and identified following the current methodology (Breedy & Guzman 2002). The holotype and paratypes are deposited in the Museo de Zoología, Universidad de Costa Rica (MZUCR, formerly UCR), San José, P.O. Box 11501-2060, Costa Rica.

scholarly journals Microcanuella bisetosa gen. n., sp. n., a new taxon of Canuellidae (Crustacea, Copepoda) from the Costa Rican Pacific coast, with remarks on Galapacanuella beckeri

1994 ◽  
Vol 64 (1) ◽  
pp. 55-64 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wolfgang Mielke
Keyword(s):  
Costa Rica ◽  
New Genus ◽  
Pacific Coast ◽  
Costa Rican ◽  
New Taxon ◽  
Beach Slope ◽  
The Pacific ◽  
Coarse Sediments ◽  
Gulf Of Nicoya

A new canuellid, Microcanuella bisetosa gen. n., sp. n., was collected on the Pacific coast (Gulf of Nicoya) of Costa Rica. Though the male is still unknown, a new genus is established, mainly because of the reduced armature of P1, P4, and P5. The small-sized M. bisetosa sp. n. is a mesopsammic species, inhabiting the interstices of coarse sediments of a beach slope.

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