Ichthyofaunal list of the continental slope of the southern Gulf of Mexico

Abstract

Four oceanographic cruises were carried out between April 2011 and May 2013 on the continental slope of the southern Gulf of Mexico (GoM) in a depth range of 290 to 1200 m on board the R/V JUSTO SIERRA. A total of 91 trawls covered a total swept area of 170.49 hectares. We recorded 177 fish species belonging to 80 families. Fifteen species extended their distribution into the south of the gulf and 37 increased their depth ranges. Five species could have commercial importance: Aphanopus carbo Lowe, 1839; Hydrolagus mirabilis (Collett, 1904); Helicolenus dactylopterus (Delaroche, 1809); Lophius gastrophysus Miranda Ribeiro, 1915, and Merluccius albidus (Mitchill, 1818). The most abundant species were Polymixia lowei Günther, 1859; Parasudis truculenta (Goode & Bean, 1896); M. albidus, Chlorophthalmus agassizi Bonaparte, 1840; Dibranchus atlanticus Peters, 1876; Nezumia aequalis (Günther, 1878); Yarrella blackfordi Goode & Bean, 1896; and Laemonema barbatulum Goode & Bean, 1883. High values of fish species richness, diversity, and evenness were registered throughout the study area. A high percentage of the fish species (97%) collected during this project are distributed in the entire GoM. Most of the species showed a wide depth distribution; however, a vertical zonation of species can be observed.