CONTRIBUTION TO THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE FISH FAUNA IN TWO ISOBATHS (10 AND 50 M) OF THE GUAJIRA REGION, COLOMBIAN CARIBBEAN

Abstract

An inventory of the sh fauna of the Guajira region was made based on samples collected on a cruise performed between Palomino and Punta Espada along the isobaths of 10 and 50 m, from March 30 to April 8, 2005, on board of the B/I ANCÓN (INVEMAR) research vessel. A total of 3662 specimens were collected, representing 51 families, 113 species, and four morphotypes identied to genus level. Seventeen of those species represented new records from the study area. Differences in composition and abundance of the sh fauna were assessed among Guajira and Palomino ecoregions and among different depths. Our results suggest that La Guajira has a great diversity of shes in the continental shelf and that the sh assemblages are mostly arranged following vertical stratications and, to a lesser extent, ecoregional congurations. This pattern is possibly associated to bottom type and other environmental characteristics.