scholarly journals Marine biodiversity from zero to a thousand meters at Clipperton Atoll (Île de La Passion), Tropical Eastern Pacific

PeerJ ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 7 ◽  
pp. e7279 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alan M. Friedlander ◽  
Jonatha Giddens ◽  
Enric Ballesteros ◽  
Shmulik Blum ◽  
Eric K. Brown ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Marine Reserve ◽  
Oceanic Islands ◽  
Eastern Pacific ◽  
Taxonomic Resolution ◽  
Marine Biodiversity ◽  
Tropical Eastern Pacific ◽  
High Turnover ◽  
Depth Effect ◽  
Black Corals ◽  
Manned Submersible

Clipperton Atoll (Île de La Passion) is the only atoll in the Tropical Eastern Pacific (TEP) ecoregion and, owing to its isolation, possesses several endemic species and is likely an important stepping stone between Oceania, the remainder of the TEP, including other oceanic islands and the west coast of Central America. We describe the biodiversity at this remote atoll from shallow water to depths greater than one thousand meters using a mixture of technologies (SCUBA, stereo baited remote underwater video stations, manned submersible, and deep-sea drop cameras). Seventy-four unique taxa of invertebrates were identified during our expedition. The majority (70%) of these taxa were confined to the top 400 m and consisted mostly of sessile organisms. Decapod crustaceans and black corals (Antipatharia) had the broadest depth ranges, 100–1,497 m and 58–967 m, respectively. Decapods were correlated with the deepest depths, while hard corals were correlated with the shallow depths. There were 96 different fish taxa from 41 families and 15 orders, of which 70% were restricted to depths <200 m. While there was a decreasing trend in richness for both fish and invertebrate taxa with depth, these declines were not linear across the depth gradient. Instead, peaks in richness at ∼200 m and ∼750 m coincided with high turnover due to the appearance of new taxa and disappearance of other taxa within the community and is likely associated with the strong oxygen minimum zone that occurs within the region. The overall depth effect was stronger for fishes compared with invertebrates, which may reflect ecological preferences or differences in taxonomic resolution among groups. The creation of a no-take marine reserve 12 nautical miles around the atoll in 2016 will help conserve this unique and relatively intact ecosystem, which possesses high predator abundance.

scholarly journals Shallow-Water Foraminifera and Other Microscopic Biota of Clipperton Island, Tropical Eastern Pacific

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mary L McGann ◽  
Robert W. Schmieder ◽  
Louis-Philippe Loncke
Keyword(s):  
Shallow Water ◽  
Geographic Location ◽  
Oceanic Islands ◽  
Tropical Pacific ◽  
Eastern Pacific ◽  
North Equatorial Current ◽  
Tropical Eastern Pacific ◽  
Foraminiferal Assemblage ◽  
Island Endemic ◽  
The North

<p></p><p>The recent foraminiferal fauna and associated microbiota of Clipperton Island (10.2833°N, 109.2167°W) were investigated at 20 sites collected in the intertidal zone around the perimeter of the island and from the edge of the inner brackish-water lagoon. Due to the island’s geographic location in a low productivity zone, a lack of variable habitats on and surrounding the island, and heavy surf that pounds the exposed land, a depauperate fauna was recovered although mixed biogeographic affinities are represented. The shallow-water foraminiferal assemblage has no endemics but primarily tropical Indo-Pacific and eastern Pacific (Panamic) affinities, as well as one species of Caribbean affinity. The most abundant taxa are <i>Sorites</i> spp. and <i>Quinqueloculina</i> spp. Noticeably absent are any species of <i>Amphistegina, </i>despite the fact that they are considered ubiquitous in the tropical Pacific. The molluscan fauna has Clipperton Island endemics, a tropical Pacific/Inter-Island endemic, and tropical eastern Pacific oceanic islands/Panamic Molluscan affinities. The ostracods included endemics found restricted to Clipperton Island lagoon, as well as Indo-Pacific and Panamic Province species. The foraminifera, mollusks, and ostracods are thought to disperse to Clipperton Island by way of the North Equatorial Countercurrent and North Equatorial Current, suggesting that the island is indeed a stepping stone for migration both east and west across the Eastern Pacific Barrier.</p><br><p></p>

scholarly journals PRIMER REGISTRO DEL TAMBORIL NARIGÓN (SPHOEROIDES LOBATUS: TETRAODONTIDAE) EN ISLA MALPELO, PACÍFICO COLOMBIANO

2017 ◽  
Vol 46 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephanía Rojas-Vélez ◽  
José Julian Tavera
Keyword(s):  
Oceanic Islands ◽  
Eastern Pacific ◽  
Tropical Eastern Pacific ◽  
Malpelo Island ◽  
Colombian Pacific

Among the eight species of the genus Sphoeroides (family Tetraodontidae) that inhabit the Tropical Eastern Pacific only Sphoeroides lobatus has been reported in more than onegroup of oceanic islands: Galápagos, Revillagigedo and Isla del Coco. This work presents the first documented record of the longnose puffer (S. lobatus) at Malpelo Island, Colombian Pacific.

scholarly journals Marine mollusks of Bahía Málaga, Colombia (Tropical Eastern Pacific)

Check List ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 1497 ◽  
Author(s):  
Luz Ángela López de Mesa ◽  
Jaime Ricardo Cantera
Keyword(s):  
Pacific Coast ◽  
Species Distributions ◽  
Eastern Pacific ◽  
Marine Biodiversity ◽  
Tropical Eastern Pacific ◽  
Marine Mollusks ◽  
Valle Del Cauca ◽  
Colombian Pacific

A checklist of mollusks reported in Bahía Málaga (Valle del Cauca, Colombia) was developed through recent samplings in the zone (2004–2012), together with bibliographic and museums’ collections reviews. Species’ distributions in Bahía Málaga were established through 18 different sub­regions, which included the inner, middle and outer zones of the bay. A revision of the western American distribution for the species was also carried out. A total of 426 species were found, of which 44 were new reports for the Colombian Pacific coast. Results supported the high marine biodiversity that has been reported for this region.

scholarly journals Shallow-Water Foraminifera and Other Microscopic Biota of Clipperton Island, Tropical Eastern Pacific

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mary L McGann ◽  
Robert W. Schmieder ◽  
Louis-Philippe Loncke
Keyword(s):  
Shallow Water ◽  
Geographic Location ◽  
Oceanic Islands ◽  
Tropical Pacific ◽  
Eastern Pacific ◽  
North Equatorial Current ◽  
Tropical Eastern Pacific ◽  
Foraminiferal Assemblage ◽  
Island Endemic ◽  
The North

<p></p><p>The recent foraminiferal fauna and associated microbiota of Clipperton Island (10.2833°N, 109.2167°W) were investigated at 20 sites collected in the intertidal zone around the perimeter of the island and from the edge of the inner brackish-water lagoon. Due to the island’s geographic location in a low productivity zone, a lack of variable habitats on and surrounding the island, and heavy surf that pounds the exposed land, a depauperate fauna was recovered although mixed biogeographic affinities are represented. The shallow-water foraminiferal assemblage has no endemics but primarily tropical Indo-Pacific and eastern Pacific (Panamic) affinities, as well as one species of Caribbean affinity. The most abundant taxa are <i>Sorites</i> spp. and <i>Quinqueloculina</i> spp. Noticeably absent are any species of <i>Amphistegina, </i>despite the fact that they are considered ubiquitous in the tropical Pacific. The molluscan fauna has Clipperton Island endemics, a tropical Pacific/Inter-Island endemic, and tropical eastern Pacific oceanic islands/Panamic Molluscan affinities. The ostracods included endemics found restricted to Clipperton Island lagoon, as well as Indo-Pacific and Panamic Province species. The foraminifera, mollusks, and ostracods are thought to disperse to Clipperton Island by way of the North Equatorial Countercurrent and North Equatorial Current, suggesting that the island is indeed a stepping stone for migration both east and west across the Eastern Pacific Barrier.</p><br><p></p>

scholarly journals Integration and Curation of At-Risk Collections into the Scripps Institution of Oceanography Collections

2018 ◽  
Vol 2 ◽  
pp. e26259
Author(s):  
Benjamin Frable ◽  
Charlotte Seid ◽  
Greg Rouse ◽  
Philip Hastings
Keyword(s):  
At Risk ◽  
Los Angeles ◽  
Deep Sea ◽  
Benthic Invertebrate ◽  
Oceanic Islands ◽  
University Of California ◽  
Eastern Pacific ◽  
Tropical Eastern Pacific ◽  
Scripps Institution ◽  
The University

The Scripps Institution of Oceanography (SIO) at the University of California, San Diego maintains one of the largest combined oceanographic collections in the world comprising four collections: Geological (sediment cores and dredged rocks), Pelagic Invertebrates, Benthic Invertebrates and Marine Vertebrates. After surviving threats of dissolution, the SIO Collections are now securely funded and have been able to make other collections available to the scientific community. Over the last few years, both the Marine Vertebrate (SIO-MVC) and Benthic Invertebrate (SIO-BIC) Collections have received National Science Foundation (NSF) and institutional funding to integrate important at-risk collections from University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI) and the University of Victoria. The UCLA Ichthyological Collection, around 9000 lots, was at risk of disposal due to hazardous material concerns and lack of institutional support. The collection, accumulated primarily under Boyd Walker (1949-1980) and later Don Buth (1980-), contains material from extensive surveys of the near-shore fishes of Southern California, Baja California and the Tropical Eastern Pacific including remote oceanic islands such as the Revillagigedos, Clipperton and the Galapagos. The UCLA collection also contains over 150 secondary types and over 100 species new to the SIO-MVC. Due to lack of support, the collection records were never digitized and the collection was minimally curated and its holdings were poorly known. For over two years, the collection manager and student employees have physically re-curated and integrated this material into the SIO-MVC. These data are now available online via iDigBio and VertNet and have already been used in numerous studies. The SIO-BIC, holding 45,000 lots, is accepting ownership of two deep-sea animal collections from Verena Tunnicliffe at the University of Victoria and Robert Vrijenhoek at MBARI. These collections include 10,900+ lots, largely from hydrothermal vents across the Pacific. Collected over 35 years from remote deep-sea sites that are difficult and expensive to access, these collections represent a major resource for systematics, genetics, and ecology. With Dr. Vrijenhoek now retired and Dr. Tunnicliffe nearing retirement, their collections were at risk of being lost. This material will be made discoverable online through the SIO-BIC database and iDigBio, and will be available for loan and examination. In the last year, the collection manager and five undergraduate employees have integrated some 3,000 lots. With support from the institution and the NSF, the SIO collections are solidifying their roles as central repositories for deep-sea and Eastern Pacific fauna.

scholarly journals Current Ecological Status of Remote Coral Reefs of Clipperton Island, Tropical Eastern Pacific

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Claudia Pogoreutz ◽  
Eric E. G. Clua ◽  
JOSE DE JESUS ADOLFO TORTOLERO LANGARICA
Keyword(s):  
Coral Reefs ◽  
Coral Cover ◽  
Ecological Status ◽  
Parasite Prevalence ◽  
Coral Community ◽  
Eastern Pacific ◽  
Marine Biodiversity ◽  
Live Coral ◽  
Tropical Eastern Pacific ◽  
Live Coral Cover

Abstract Clipperton, an uninhabited and remote coral atoll from the Eastern Pacific, is an important steppingstone area that harbors a high marine biodiversity. Despite its biogeographic importance, little information on the ecological status of its coral reefs is available from the last decade. Herein, we characterized the benthic coral community and health status among four different shallow reef-zones (North to South) of Clipperton during the Tara Pacific expedition in 2018. The benthic composition and coverage percentage, as well as occurrence of a pink-spotted coral phenotype (trematodiasis infection) was assessed. Total live coral cover on Clipperton reefs was 66% (55-85%), differing between sites, with massive Porites and branching Pocillopora corals dominating the benthic community with an average 48% (32-66%), and 15% (3-21%), respectively. While Clipperton reefs exhibited significant live coral cover overall, the trematode infection was commonly observed, with a higher occurrence in massive corals (Porites 27%, and Pavona 31%). This observation is possibly related to the combined effects of previously heatwaves, and local inputs of guano-derived nutrients discharged during storms and hurricanes. These results demonstrates that even highly remote reefs supporting high coral cover can be subjected to local and global threats, including but not limited to parasite prevalence, likely in relation to natural disturbances such as thermal stress and tropical cyclones.

Population-level morphological variation of Anisotremus interruptus (Gill, 1862) (Perciformes: Haemulidae) in the Tropical Eastern Pacific, with the description of two new species

Zootaxa ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 4975 (1) ◽  
pp. 141-158
Author(s):  
EDGAR ADRIÁN ACEVEDO-ÁLVAREZ ◽  
GORGONIO RUIZ-CAMPOS ◽  
OMAR DOMÍNGUEZ-DOMÍNGUEZ
Keyword(s):  
New Species ◽  
Population Level ◽  
Taxonomic Diversity ◽  
Oceanic Islands ◽  
Eastern Pacific ◽  
Tropical Eastern Pacific ◽  
Morphometric Variation ◽  
Galapagos Archipelago ◽  
Two New Species ◽  
Revillagigedo Archipelago

The family Haemulidae is a wide-ranging group of marine fishes that are of significant commercial value in the Tropical Eastern Pacific (TEP). Phylogenetic studies on the species Anisotremus interruptus have revealed high levels of genetic diversity as well as divergence among populations in the TEP, which suggests that the taxonomic diversity of A. interruptus could be underestimated. Anisotremus interruptus has a large distribution, ranging from central Baja California, Mexico to northern Peru, including all oceanic islands except Clipperton. Recent genetic studies on this taxon indicate the presence of a species complex of at least three distinctive lineages. We performed a comparative study of the population-level meristic and morphometric variation of A. interruptus in the TEP to evaluate and identify possible morphological features concordant with the genetic differentiation of populations. Our results provide evidence of the presence of two new species of the genus Anisotremus, A. perezponcedeleoni sp. n. from the Revillagigedo Archipelago and A. espinozai sp.n. from Galapagos Archipelago-Cocos Island. 

The evolutionary history of the goby Elacatinus puncticulatus in the tropical eastern pacific: Effects of habitat discontinuities and local environmental variability

2019 ◽  
Vol 130 ◽  
pp. 269-285 ◽  
Author(s):  
E.R. Sandoval-Huerta ◽  
R.G. Beltrán-López ◽  
C.R. Pedraza-Marrón ◽  
M.A. Paz-Velásquez ◽  
A. Angulo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Evolutionary History ◽  
Environmental Variability ◽  
Eastern Pacific ◽  
Tropical Eastern Pacific ◽  
History Of
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