Upper mesophotic reef fish assemblages at Bahía de Banderas, Mexico.

There is no information on the species associated with the mesophotic reefs of Banderas Bay, located in the central Mexican Pacific. This study analysed the reef fish assemblage from three depths (50, 60 and 70 m) in three sampling sites of the southern submarine canyon of the Bay: Los Arcos, Bajo de Emirio and Majahuitas. Several analyses were performed to test the hypothesis that there are important differences in fish abundance and species composition between sites and depths. Twenty-two species of bony fishes grouped in 14 families were recorded. PERMANOVA results showed that there were no significant differences in fish diversity parameters between sites, indicating a certain uniformity in their distribution. However, nine species were exclusive to one site and depth (five singleton species with only one individual recorded and four unique species recorded only once). On the other hand, there were significant differences between depths, mainly between 50 and 70 m. Diversity decreases with depth and species composition changes. SIMPER, Shade Plot and NMDS analysis show the most representative species at each depth, with at least half of the species (11) recorded only at 50 m and four species at the deeper levels (60 - 70 m). The observed assemblage includes several of the most caught species in the shallow water artisanal fishery, which is the most traditional and common type of fishery in the Bay. In addition, the Pomacanthuszonipectus (Cortés angelfish) is of particular interest, as it has a special protection status in the official Mexican standard (NOM-059-SEMARNAT, 2010) due to its use as an ornamental species in aquaria. We hypothesised that the mesophotic zone may serve as a refuge for these fishes, so we propose that the information obtained is an important basis for new research aimed at the sustainable management of fisheries in the area.