Resumen

CORTES ALTAMIRANO, Roberto  y  NUNEZ PASTEN, Arturo. Distribución y abundancia anual de Ceratium dens (Peridinales: Ceratiaceae) en el golfo de California, México. Rev. biol. trop [online]. 2000, vol.48, n.2-3, pp.305-311. ISSN 0034-7744.

Ceratium dens distribution in the Gulf of California was based on three oceanographic campaigns, monthly abundance (1995-96) and during three red tide events in Mazatlán Bay. 52 phytoplankton samples with a Bongo net and 64 µm mesh light, during the year 120 water samples with a van Dorn bottle were collected in two sampling stations and from three red tide events. All samples were counted by the inverted-microscope method. The results showed that C. dens was present in the upper Gulf of California and surroundings of Cabo San Lucas. Two peaks were observed during spring and autumn in Mazatlán Bay during 1995-1996. The highest densities (20-360 cells. ^. l^-1) were observed in coastal areas, whereas the lowest densities (1-14 cells. ^. l^-1) were recorded in the open sea. During red tide events in 1985, 1989 and 1997, 144 000-256 000 cells. ^. l^-1, 100 000-400 000 cells. ^. l^-1, and 189 000-592 000 cells.^. l^-1 was observed, respectively. During the red tide events C. dens varied, although sometimes was replaced by Skeletonema costatum or Pseudonitzchia spp and Ceratium furca. C. dens, seems to prefer areas with high productivity.

Palabras clave : Dinophyceae; Ceratiaceae; distribution; abundance; red tides; Gulf of California.