Current conservation status of six freshwater fish species from the Baja California Peninsula, Mexico

Abstract

The current distribution and conservation status of six native freshwater fishes of the Baja California peninsula(Entosphenus tridentatus, Oncorhynchus mykiss nelsoni, Fundulus lima, Cyprinodon macularius, Gasterosteusaculeatus and Gobiesox juniperoserrai), included in the Norma Oficial Mexicana-059-2010, were assessed on thebasis of information generated during the study period of 2000-2014. Except for E. tridentatus in the Santo Domingoriver drainage and G. juniperoserrai in the Las Pocitas-San Hilario drainage, most of the species were recorded inthe hydrological basins sampled. Oncorhynchus mykiss nelsoni showed a significant population fluctuation in the SanRafael river in relation to the dynamics of the base flow and the forest fire events. Fundulus lima presented the probableextirpation from four drainages (San Javier, Bebelamas, San Luis, and Las Pocitas-San Hilario) that is contrastingwith the finding of a new population in the Santa Cruz stream. Cyprinodon macularius in the most important remnantpopulation in Baja California (cerro Prieto geothermal ponds) showed interannual fluctuations related with the level of flooding and availability of marginal habitats.