The Coastal Lagoon Cienaga Grande de Santa Marta, Colombia
37
abundance of the mangrove crab Aratus pisonii is controlled by salinity
fluctuations, and reproductive effort and recruitment correlate with rainfall patterns. Biometric and life history traits of this crab appear to be
closely related to mangrove productivity. The largest individuals of A. pisonii and the highest percentages of ovigerous females occur in arboreal
mangroves, while small crabs with low reproductive effort occur in scrub
mangrove habitats. Similarly, the large size and high fecundity of the land
crab Cardisoma guanhumi can be ascribed to the high productivity of the
CGSM. Some other species of invertebrates are of commercial importance,
like the oyster Crassotrea rhizophorae, the conch Melongena melongena,
and swimming crabs of the genus Callinectes.
2.3.3 Fishes
A total of 122 bony fish species (58% with a standard length of <350 mm)
of 49 families, mainly Engraulididae (Anchovia clupeoides, Anchoa parva,
Anchoa spp.), Mugilidae, Gerreidae, and Ariidae, as well as eight cartilaginous fish species, have been reported for the CGSM. Estuarine species
represent the largest group (63% of the 122 recorded), 19 of these are
coastal species with marine affinities and 9 freshwater species may appear
seasonally. Many of the resident fishes (32), which include 24 estuarine
species, are widely distributed in the lagoon and all occur near the inlet
(Boca de la Barra; Santos-Martinez and Acero 1991), while eight coastal
species are more or less restricted to the inlet. Species of the families
Poeciliidae, Blenniidae, Eleotrididae, and Gobiidae are probably true residents, as might be species like Arius proops, Luljanus cyanopterus, Scomberomorus brasiliensis, Anchoa trinitatis, and A. hepsetus, often considered
to be frequent visitors. Most ( 62%) of the resident ichthyofauna, like
Engraulididae (A. clupeoides, Cetengraulis edentulus, A. parva) either
spawn during the entire year or have two spawning peaks. Most of these
species seem to spawn inside the CGSM and Boca de la Barra (estuarineresident), although some (i.e., Mugil spp.) spawn in adjacent marine
waters (Santos-Martinez and Acero 1991). Several of the larger species
(i.e., Elops saurus, Tarpon atlanticus, Centropomus undecimalis, Caranx
hippos, C. latus) appear to use the lagoon only for recruitment since their
larvae and juveniles occur during the entire year (Catano and GarzonPerreira 1994). Although several species (i.e., Mugil incilis, Eugerres
plumieri, Cathorops spixii) tolerate a broad range of salinities, changes in
the salinity regime between different years influence their abundance and
may favor the occurrence of stenohaline (Triportheus magdalenae, Aequidens pulcher, Caquetaia krausii, Oreochromis niloticus) and/or freshwater
37
abundance of the mangrove crab Aratus pisonii is controlled by salinity
fluctuations, and reproductive effort and recruitment correlate with rainfall patterns. Biometric and life history traits of this crab appear to be
closely related to mangrove productivity. The largest individuals of A. pisonii and the highest percentages of ovigerous females occur in arboreal
mangroves, while small crabs with low reproductive effort occur in scrub
mangrove habitats. Similarly, the large size and high fecundity of the land
crab Cardisoma guanhumi can be ascribed to the high productivity of the
CGSM. Some other species of invertebrates are of commercial importance,
like the oyster Crassotrea rhizophorae, the conch Melongena melongena,
and swimming crabs of the genus Callinectes.
2.3.3 Fishes
A total of 122 bony fish species (58% with a standard length of <350 mm)
of 49 families, mainly Engraulididae (Anchovia clupeoides, Anchoa parva,
Anchoa spp.), Mugilidae, Gerreidae, and Ariidae, as well as eight cartilaginous fish species, have been reported for the CGSM. Estuarine species
represent the largest group (63% of the 122 recorded), 19 of these are
coastal species with marine affinities and 9 freshwater species may appear
seasonally. Many of the resident fishes (32), which include 24 estuarine
species, are widely distributed in the lagoon and all occur near the inlet
(Boca de la Barra; Santos-Martinez and Acero 1991), while eight coastal
species are more or less restricted to the inlet. Species of the families
Poeciliidae, Blenniidae, Eleotrididae, and Gobiidae are probably true residents, as might be species like Arius proops, Luljanus cyanopterus, Scomberomorus brasiliensis, Anchoa trinitatis, and A. hepsetus, often considered
to be frequent visitors. Most ( 62%) of the resident ichthyofauna, like
Engraulididae (A. clupeoides, Cetengraulis edentulus, A. parva) either
spawn during the entire year or have two spawning peaks. Most of these
species seem to spawn inside the CGSM and Boca de la Barra (estuarineresident), although some (i.e., Mugil spp.) spawn in adjacent marine
waters (Santos-Martinez and Acero 1991). Several of the larger species
(i.e., Elops saurus, Tarpon atlanticus, Centropomus undecimalis, Caranx
hippos, C. latus) appear to use the lagoon only for recruitment since their
larvae and juveniles occur during the entire year (Catano and GarzonPerreira 1994). Although several species (i.e., Mugil incilis, Eugerres
plumieri, Cathorops spixii) tolerate a broad range of salinities, changes in
the salinity regime between different years influence their abundance and
may favor the occurrence of stenohaline (Triportheus magdalenae, Aequidens pulcher, Caquetaia krausii, Oreochromis niloticus) and/or freshwater