Primer registro del coral copo de nieve, Carijoa riisei (Cnidaria: Anthozoa: Octocorallia) en una laguna costera del Pacífico sur de México

Abstract

A small colony of the snowflake coral, Carijoa riisei, was collected from Corralero Lagoon in June 2015. This species is native to the Indo-West Pacific and, as invasive species, spread into Tropical Western Atlantic, Hawaii, Western Africa and Tropical Eastern Pacific. This record suggests that the invasion of C. riisei in the Mexican Pacific could be earlier than inferred and by means other than biofou-ling or ballast water, as Corralero Lagoon at least 190 km away from any port. Monitoring is recommended in the reefs, coastal lagoons, ports and marinas of the Mexican Pacific to evaluate the dispersion of this inva-sive species, in addition to proposing mitigation and management measures.