Review of marine fish zoogeography of Chilean Patagonia (42 degrees-57 degrees S)

From bibliographical information on bathymetric and latitudinal distributio n of 110 marine fish species of western Patagonia (42 degrees-57 degrees S) , the ichthyogeographic zonation of the area is discussed. The bathymetric distribution of the fish species shows a species association distributed at depths less than 100 m, a second association between 50 and 500 m, and a t hird association below 500 m depth. This third one is interpreted as a tran sitional situation of the second one, because of the scarcity of endemic sp ecies. These associations present similar latitudinal zonation patterns, in cluding separation into a northern sector, characterized by species of lowe r latitudes, a southern sector with characteristic and endemic elements of that zone, and an intermediate transition sector considered as an independe nt association by its large extension and species composition. The Straits of Magellan represent an important faunistic exchange zone between the bott om fish communities of the Southwestern Atlantic and the Southeastern Pacif ic.