Food Habitats of Anchovia clupeoides (Pisces: Engraulidae) in the Ciénaga Grande de Santa Marta, Colombian Caribbean

Food habits of the Zabaleta anchovy Anchovia clupeoides (Swainson, 1839) in the coastal lagoon Ciénaga Grande de Santa Marta, northeast Colombia, were examined. A total of 4,389 specimens were captured during monthly collections on a 24-hr basis between Oct. 1995 and June 1996. This species is planktophagous, feeding primarily on copepods and detritus. It also feeds on diatoms throughout the year and is a seasonal consumer of crab zoea, rotifers, and fish eggs. Copepod nauplii, larvae of polychaetes, cyanobacteria, and cladocerans comprise a small percentage of the prey. Biomass of large prey did not differ significantly between the high- and low-salinity season but was significantly different during the intermediate salinity season. The ingestion of the main food items was unaffected by seasonal and diel changes. Although the trophic flexibility of A. clupeoides allows an opportunistic exploitation of a variety of food items, it feeds preferably on copepods and can be considered as a secondary consumer

Feeding Selectivity of Anchovia clupeoides (Pisces: Engraulidae) in the Ciénaga Grande de Santa Marta, Colombian Caribbean

Food selection by fishes is an important piece of information for modeling food webs in aquatic ecosystem. Monthly collections were made over a twenty-four hour period between October 1995 and June 1996 to examine the feeding selectivity of the zabaleta anchovy (Anchovia clupeoides) in the coastal lagoon Ciénaga Grande de Santa Marta, NE Colombia. A total of 4,389 specimens were collected, and the abundances and weights of the stomach food items were compared with similar measures calculated from samples obtained in nearby habitats. Our results indicate that the zabaleta anchovy is planktophagous, actively selecting copepods and detritus throughout the year. Individuals also exhibit positive selectivity of fish eggs and crab zoea on a seasonal basis and at different times of the day. This species avoids cyanobacteria, diatoms, and rotifers most of the year and during most of the day and always avoids copepod nauplii, polychaete larvae, and cladocerans. It seems that selection and avoidance of the food items by the zabaleta anchovy is due mainly to its preference for prey over 125 µm

First evidence of spatial structure and morphometric relationships of dwarf dory Zenion hololepis (Goode and Bean, 1896) (Zeiformes: Zeniontidae): a deep-sea fish in the colombian caribbean

Objetivos: El objetivo de esta investigación es describir por primera vez los patrones de distribución espacial y batimétrica de la biomasa del pez gallo enano de aguas profundas (Zenion hololepis) en el Caribe colombiano. Metodología: Las muestras fueron tomadas por arrastre en profundidades entre 200 y 550 m. Se registró la longitud total, sexo y número de individuos de Z. hololepis en cada estación. Se hicieron las relaciones morfométricas: longitud total (TL) frente longitud estándar (SL); TL frente altura del cuerpo (BH); TL frente diámetro del ojo (ED); TL frente altura de la cabeza (HL). Se usó un análisis geoestadístico para describir la estructura espacial de la distribución de Z. hololepis. Resultados: La talla de las hembras de Z. hololepis varió entre 58,06 y 121,75 mm de longitud total (media 80,97 mm, ±13,12) y para los machos entre 57,42 y 114,77 mm LT (media 77,77 mm, ±13,82). Los machos fueron más pequeños que las hembras. La estructura de tallas para hembras y machos mostró un incremento con la profundidad. La biomasa mayor estuvo distribuida entre Cartagena y el Golfo de Morrosquillo. En la zona sur esta especie reveló altas abundancias entre Santa Marta y Riohacha. Esta especie estuvo distribuida entre 230 y 443 m, pero las mayores biomasas se encontraron entre 320 y 370 m. Conclusiones: Se requiere más investigación para conocer los parámetros del ciclo de vida de los peces de profundidad en el Caribe colombiano tales como crecimiento, reproducción, reclutamiento, mortalidad, áreas y épocas de desove. Es necesario un enfoque altamente precautorio sobre estas especies de profundidad debido a su vulnerabilidad al aprovechamiento pesquero.Objectives: The objective of this research is to describe for first time the patterns of size structure, morphometric relationships, spatial and bathymetric distribution of the dwarf dory deep-sea fish (Z. hololepis) in the Colombian Caribbean Sea. Scope: Zenion hololepis is reported as one of dominant teleost species with a frequency of occurrence of 57.41%, which makes this species of great ecological importance. Methodology: Samples were collected by trawling in depths between 200 and 550 m. The total length, sex and number of individuals Z. hololepis from each station were recorded. The morphometric relationships Total length (TL) vs Standard length (SL), TL vs Body height (BH), TL vs Eye diameter (ED) and TL vs Head length (HL) were performed. Geostatistical analyses were used to describe the spatial structure of the Z. hololepis distribution. Main results: The size of Z. hololepis females ranged between 58.06 and 121.75 mm total length (mean 80.97 mm, ±13.12) and for males between 57.42 and 114.77 mm TL (mean 77.77 mm, ±13.82). The size structure for female and male showed an increase with depth. In females and males, the growth was negative allometric. The bulk of the biomass was distributed between Cartagena and Morrosquillo Gulf. In the northern zone this species revealed high abundances between Santa Marta and Riohacha. This species was distributed between 230 and 443 m, but higher biomass was found between 320 and 370 m. Conclusions: Further research to know the parameters of life cycle of deep-sea fish in the Colombian Caribbean Sea such as growth, reproduction, recruitment, mortality, areas and seasons of spawning and nursery areas is required. A highly precautionary approach on these deep-sea species is necessary due to their vulnerability to exploitation

Redescription of Coryphopterus tortugae (Jordan) (Osteichthyes: Gobiidae), A Valid Species of Goby from the Western Atlantic

New descriptive and ecological information obtained from western Atlantic (mainly Colombian Caribbean) material has led to the recognition of Coryphopterus tortugae (Jordan) as a valid species of gobiid fish. It is distinguished from Coryphopterus glaucofraenum Gill, the species with which it was previously confused, by its more elongated shape, its pigmentation characteristics, and its more restricted habitats

El plan von Prahl

Malpelo la roca viviente. Henry von Prahl. Fondo Fen Colombia, Bogotá, 1990, 57 págs

Siguen las flores

Orquídeas nativas de Colombia. Volumen 2: Elleanthus-Masdevallia. Rodrigo Escobar R. Compañía Litográfica Nacional, Medellín, 1991, págs. 151-289

Una nueva revista científica colombiana

Trianea Acta Científica y Tecnológica. Inderena, Bogotá, 1988, IV-247, págs

Belleza y horror

Arrecifes del Caribe. Henry von Prahl. Villegas Editores, Bogotá, 1989,206 págs

Mamíferos colombianos

Mammals of the neotropics, the northern neotropics, Vol. 1: Panamá, Colombia, Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname, French Guiana. John F. Eisenberg. The University of Chicago Press , Chicago y Londres. 1989,449 págs