Systematic list of the marine fishes from Ojo de Liebre and Guerrero Negro lagoons, BCS and BC, Mexico

Abstract

In this work, the first check-list of fishes from Ojo de Liebre (Scammon) Lagoon and Guerrero Negro Lagoon in Baja California Sur and Baja California, Mexico, is presented. These areas belong to Mexico’s largest protected area: El Vizcaíno Biosphere Reserve. Despite the outstanding features of this lagoon complex, there are no studies on its inhabitant fishes nor is there a systematical field collection with records in museums or collections in North America or any other place. The list includes 59 species of 50 genera and 36 families. The 11,864 specimens collected were cured and catalogued in the ichthyological collection of the Centro Interdisciplinario de Ciencias Marinas (CICIMAR-IPN) in La Paz, Baja California Sur, Mexico. Seven of the species here reported extend their known distribution range northward. One of them was registered for the first time for the Pacific west coast. The presence of tropical and temperate species in these areas confirms the idea of alternate boundaries between zoogeographic regions of California and the Eastern Pacific and establishes these limits with an icthyological mixture at latitude 28ºN. The importance and value of scientific collections is discussed.