Microhabitat use, population densities, and size distributions of sulfur cave-dwelling Poecilia mexicana.

ABSTRACT: The Cueva del Azufre in Tabasco, Mexico, is a nutrient-rich cave and its inhabitants need to cope with high levels of dissolved hydrogen sulfide and extreme hypoxia. One of the successful colonizers of this cave is the poeciliid fish Poecilia mexicana, which has received considerable attention as a model organism to examine evolutionary adaptations to extreme environmental conditions. Nonetheless, basic ecological data on the endemic cave molly population are still missing; here we aim to provide data on population densities, size class compositions and use of different microhabitats. We found high overall densities in the cave and highest densities at the middle part of the cave with more than 200 individuals per square meter. These sites have lower H2S concentrations compared to the inne

SUBMITTER: Jourdan J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4106196 | biostudies-literature | 2014

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature