CHARACTERIZATION OF TIDAL POOL ALGAE IN THE MEXICAN TROPICAL PACIFIC COAST

Tidal pools in the Mexican Tropical Pacific coast have received relati vely little attention in spite of their considerable richness in speci es and wide distribution in the region. This paper presents the first characterization of the algal flora of this region. It analyzes the nu mber and composition of species of the tidal pools of six localities w ith regard to geographical distribution and its seasonal variations as well as tidal level. 97 species are reported, 25 Chlorophyta, 23 Phae ophyta, 34 Rhodophyta and 15 Cyanophyta. Of that total of species, 63% were found in one locality, 23.7% in two, 11.3% in three and 1% in 4 or 5 localities. Not one species was common to all of the pools. The h ighest number of species was found on pools of the middle and low inte rtidal where the Chlorophyta, Rhodophyta and Phaeophyta were the most abundant algae. Cyanophyta was more common in the supralittoral and hi gh intertidal pools.