Population Dynamics of a Rare Species of Burrowing Shrimp Axianassa darrylfelderi Anker & Lazarus, 2015 in the Pérula Estuary, Jalisco, Mexico

Axianassa darrylfelderi is a rare species of mud shrimp. Recently, it was discovered in the Mexican Central Pacific; therefore, it is exposed to the strong climate variability of this ecoregion. This study hypothesized that the population structure and dynamics of A. darrylfelderi are affected by variations in environmental conditions. The organisms were collected during 2014, 2015, and 2018—years that featured The Blob and El Niño Southern Oscillation events. The variables temperature, precipitation, and chlorophyll-α concentration did not strongly influence the structure and fecundity but did have a strong influence on the population dynamics. Individual growth was seasonal with slow phases in rainy periods; mortality was high and began at small sizes attributed to estuary runoff, while somatic production was supported by large and abundant organisms that have more stable burrows that require less maintenance. A. darrylfelderi presented similar parameters to other burrowing shrimp, and these vary due to the synergy of the environmental variables of each season.