In: Invertebrates: Classification, Evolution and Biodiversity ISBN: 978-1-62618-789-4
Editor: Rafael Riosmena-Rodriguez © 2013 Nova Science Publishers, Inc.
Chapter 4
Invertebrates: St ' ructure of the
Community and Biodiversity Associated
to Rhodolith- Sponge Complex at
Magdalena Bay. South Baja California
Pamela Herrera- Martinez·
I
, Sergio Alvarez-Hernandez
Ia
,
Maria del Carmen Mendez-Trejo2,3
and Rafael Riosmena-Rodriguei
IDepartamento de Hidrobiologfa,
Universidad Aut6noma Metropolitana-Iztapalapa, Mexico
I"Laboratorio de Ficologfa Aplicada, Departamento de Hidrobiologfa, Universidad
Aut6noma Metropolitana- Iztapalapa, Mexico
2Programa de Investigaci6n en Botanica Marina,
Departamento de Biologfa Marina,
Universidad de Baja California Sur. La Paz, Baja California Sur, Mexico
3Centro de Investigaci6n Cientffica del Mar (CIClMAR),
Instituto Politecnico Nacional, La Paz, Baja California Sur, Mexico
Abstract
One of the most exceptional and multifunctional habitats for cryptic and epibenthic
fauna has been established in the costal zones of Magdalena Bay conforming an
interesting interaction between rhodoliths and marine sponges. These function primarily
as refuges, where the rhodolith beds (red coralline algae) grow in association with a high
biodiversity of marine sponges and form functional complexes to counteract the
hydrodynamic effect generated by the current flow. The main objective in this chapter
was to highlight the community structure of cryptic, epibenthic, and sessile fauna with a
multifactorial analysis including: the ecological analysis via alpha diversity, the
• Email address:herrera .maninez.pamel@gmail.com.