Macroalgae on Punta Norte fringing reef, southwestern Gulf of Mexico

There are three main reef systems in the southwestern Gulf of Mexico along the Veracruz coast: Lobos-Tuxpan Reef System, Los Tuxtlas Reef System and Veracruzan Reef System (VRS). They harbor great biodiversity, including macroalgal species. Apart from these systems, some smaller, almos t unstudied reefs allowbiological connectivity through all the coastal reefs. Punta Norte fringing re ef (19°40.568 N, 96°23.618 W), located in front of Chacha lacas beach, is one of them.Information on this reef is lacking, so the identification of macroalgae was the aim of this study. Monthly from August 2016 to J uly 2017, fleshy, chalky articulated, filamentous, laminar and coriaceous macroalgae were collectedin the reef lagoon.A total of 16 species were identified: Rhodophyt a (7), Chlorophyta(6) and Phaeophyceae (3), which represent about 6% of macroalgal species found in the closely situated VRS. Several studies have reported that macroalgae develop well in the VRS shallowlagoons where they are protected. Waves are known to affect the settlement of macrobenthic species. In particular, Punta Norte fringing reef has a sandy-rock sea b ottom that favors macroalgalattachment.However, it lackssolid structures or blocks that would diminish the impact of waves against the reef; this could explain the lo w species richness.This study considers only the r eef lagoon, and it is therefore important to expand the sampling areatowards the outer reef within the Punta Norte reef zone

There are three main reef systems in the southwestern Gulf of Mexico along the Veracruz coast: Lobos-Tuxpan Reef System, Los Tuxtlas Reef System and Veracruzan Reef System (VRS). They harbor great biodiversity, including macroalgal species. Apart from these systems, some smaller, almos t unstudied reefs allowbiological connectivity through all the coastal reefs. Punta Norte fringing re ef (19°40.568 N, 96°23.618 W), located in front of Chacha lacas beach, is one of them.Information on this reef is lacking, so the identification of macroalgae was the aim of this study. Monthly from August 2016 to J uly 2017, fleshy, chalky articulated, filamentous, laminar and coriaceous macroalgae were collectedin the reef lagoon.A total of 16 species were identified: Rhodophyt a (7), Chlorophyta(6) and Phaeophyceae (3), which represent about 6% of macroalgal species found in the closely situated VRS. Several studies have reported that macroalgae develop well in the VRS shallowlagoons where they are protected. Waves are known to affect the settlement of macrobenthic species. In particular, Punta Norte fringing reef has a sandy-rock sea b ottom that favors macroalgalattachment.However, it lackssolid structures or blocks that would diminish the impact of waves against the reef; this could explain the lo w species richness.This study considers only the r eef lagoon, and it is therefore important to expand the sampling areatowards the outer reef within the Punta Norte reef zone