DISTRIBUCIÓN ESPACIAL DEL PARGO RAYADO LUTJANUS SYNAGRIS (PISCES: LUTJANIDAE) Y SU RELACIÓN CON LAS VARIABLES AMBIENTALES EN EL CARIBE COLOMBIANO

The demersal fishery is one of the most important in the Colombian Caribbean, and the lane snapper Lutjanus synagris is particularly prized for its economic value. To document the spatial structure of L. synagris and its relation to environmental variables, we conducted a research survey off the north Caribbean coast of Colombian during February 2006. Spatial distribution was evaluated using geostatistics and relationships with environmental variables were examined with Generalized Additive Models (GAM). Median size of maturity (LT 50%) was estimated as 21.35 cm. The species presented a pattern of spatial segregation, with a high abundance of adults in the Northern portion of the study area, in the La Guajira sector, associated principally with cold waters ( 25.0 °C), soft muddy bottoms, and a coastal region containing extensive mangroves that are the fundamental habitat for growth, refuge, and food availability for small fish. The results suggest that environmental variables modulate the spatial distributions of juvenile and adult of L. synagris.