REYES-BONILLA, Héctor et al. Estructura comunitaria de corales zooxantelados (Anthozoa: Scleractinia) en el arrecife coralino de Carrizales, Pacífico Mexicano. []. , 61, 2, pp.583-594. ISSN 0034-7744.

^len^aCoral reefs in the Mexican Pacific and notably those of the continental coastline of Colima state are still poorly studied. Fortunately, recent efforts have been carried out by researchers from different Mexican institutions to fill up these information gaps. The aim of this study was to determine the ecological structure of the rich and undisturbed coral building communities of Carrizales by using the point transect interception method (25m-long). For this, three survey expeditions were conducted between June and October 2005 and September 2006; and for comparison purposes, the reef was subdivided according to its position in the bay, and depth (0 to 5m, and 6 to 10m). Thirteen coral species were observed in the area, with Pocillopora verrucosa as the most abundant, contributing up to 32.8% of total cover, followed by Porites panamensis and Pocillopora capitata with 11% and 7%, respectively. Other species, Pocillopora damicornis, Pavona gigantea, Pocillopora eydouxi and Pocillopora inflata accounted for 1.5% to 2% of coral cover whereas the remaining five species had cover of less than 1%. Seven of the observed species represented new records for Colima state coast- line: Pocillopora eydouxi, P. inflata, P. meandrina, Pavona duerdeni, P. varians, Psammocora stellata and P. contigua. This last species is a relevant record, because it has never been observed before in the Eastern Pacific. Although there was no significant difference (ANOVA, p=0.478) neither in the abundance between the sides of the bay, nor between the depths considered, and the shallow zone observed the higher coral cover. Live coral cover was up to 61%, one of the highest ever reported for the Mexican Pacific, including the Gulf of California. The observed values of diversity (H´=0.44±0.02), uniformity (J´=0.76±0.02), and taxonomic distinctness index (Δ*=45.87±3.16), showed that currently this is the most important coral reef of Colima coastline. Currently, this region does not show any disturbance effects, but the increasing economic development of Manzanillo, as one of the main commercial ports of Mexico, its proximity to the reef, and the burgeoning number of tourists, may have some ecosystem impacts, for which management and conservation plans for Colima coastline are highly recommended.^les^aEl conocimiento ecológico de corales   arrecifales en el Pacífico mexicano es escaso, por lo que el objetivo de este trabajo fue determinar la estructura de la comunidad de  corales hermatípicos en el arrecife de  Carrizales, Colima, mediante el uso de transectos y buceo autónomo (junio y octubre 2005, septiembre 2006). De las 13 especies  de  corales  encontradas,  Pocillopora  verrucosa  fue la  más  abundante  y  siete  representan  nuevos  registros, sobresaliendo Psammocora contigua, primer registro para el  Pacífico Oriental. No hubo diferencias  significativas de abundancia entre  profundidades, pero la zona somera presenta  una mayor cobertura. Este sitio presenta una  de las riquezas y cobertura de coral más alta (61%) en el Pacífico  Mexicano  y  valores  de  diversidad  (H´=0.44±0.02), uniformidad  (J´=0.76±0.02), y de diferenciación taxonómica (Δ*=45.87±3.16) relativamente altos. Actualmente la región no presenta grandes perturbaciones pero el creciente desarrollo económico de Manzanillo, uno de los principales puertos comerciales del país, además del creciente número de turistas, podrían afectar al arrecife, por lo que se sugiere implementar medidas de protección con el fin de mantener al arrecife más importante del litoral de Colima.

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