Abstract Snappers are marine fishes, but juveniles of many species migrate to estuaries, using these systems as nursery areas. The purpose of this study was to know the environmental factors mainly related to the migration patterns of lutjanids in La Mancha lagoon inlet. During 19 months, 24-hour cycles were performed monthly, taking samples every two hours (442 samples). Environmental variables recorded in situ and with regional records such as rainfall, atmospheric temperature and day length were considered. Genetic barcoding (COI) was used to validate species identity. Significant differences were evaluated by PERMANOVA and a Canonical Correspondence Analysis was used to determine the importance of environmental variables. Six species were recorded and the most abundant showed significant differences among months, with migration patterns during the warm-rainy season. Day length, salinity and rainfall (two of them with regional incidence) were the variables significantly associated with the distribution of the species. The abundance of Lutjanus analis, L. jocu, and L. cyanopterus was inversely associated with the length of daylight and directly related to rainfall, while L. synagris and L. griseus showed segregation along a salinity gradient. Thus, migration patterns were mainly correlated with factors of regional coverage and greater seasonal influence.

Resumen Los pargos son peces marinos, pero los juveniles de muchas especies migran a los estuarios, utilizándolos como áreas de crianza. El propósito del estudio fue conocer los factores ambientales principalmente relacionados con los patrones de migración de lutjánidos en la boca de la laguna La Mancha. Durante 19 meses se realizaron ciclos de 24 horas, tomando muestras cada dos horas (442 muestras). Se consideraron variables ambientales registradas in situ y con registros regionales tales como lluvias, temperatura atmosférica y duración del día. Se utilizó código de barras genético (COI) para validar la identidad de las especies. Diferencias significativas fueron evaluadas por PERMANOVA y un Análisis de Correspondencia Canónica permitió determinar la importancia de las variables ambientales. Se registraron seis especies y las más abundantes mostraron diferencias significativas entre meses, con patrones de migración durante la época cálida-lluviosa. La duración del día, la salinidad y la precipitación (dos con incidencia regional) fueron las variables asociadas significativamente a la distribución de las especies. La abundancia de Lutjanus analis, L. jocu y L. cyanopterus estuvo inversamente asociada con la duración del día y directamente con las lluvias, mientras que L. synagris y L. griseus mostraron segregación a lo largo de un gradiente de salinidad. Así, los patrones de migración se correlacionaron principalmente con factores de cobertura regional y de mayor influencia estacional.

ABSTRACT A single sub-adult specimen of yellowtail snapper, Ocyurus chrysurus (Bloch, 1791) of 76.08 mm total long (TL) and weighing 4.38 g, was caught on June 7, 2013 over a sandy habitat in the coastal lagoon of La Mancha, Veracruz, Mexico. The capture of O. chrysurus represents a first record for the lagoon and one of the few records for the estuarine systems of the southwestern Gulf of Mexico, even though this species is typical of habitats associated with coral reefs. Similarly, the reported sequence of the mitochondrial COI gene is also the first record of the species for coastal lagoons of this region. Other sequences of the same species were used to evaluate the haplotypic diversity in the western Atlantic Ocean.