SHORT COMMUNICATION Spatial distribution of small pelagic fish larvae in the Gulf of

Abstract. Sardinops caeruleus larvae were almost absent during the El Niño 1997–1998, when the sea surface temperature (SST) increased by 4°C. After the event, these larvae appeared in high abundance between 18 and 22°C SST. Engraulis mordax larvae were recorded in high abundance during the El Niño (17 and 25°C SST) and afterwards (14 and 22°C). During the event, they tended to concentrate close to Isla Angel de La Guarda and Isla Tiburón, the coldest zone. The El Niño conditions affected the spawning of S.caeruleus more than E.mordax, with the latter more adapted to strong environmental changes. The northern anchovy (Engraulis mordax GIRARD 1856) and Monterrey sardine (Sardinops caeruleus GIRARD 1856) populations have co-existed in the Gulf of California since the arrival of the former to the Gulf about 1985 (Green-Ruíz and Aguirre-Medina, 1989; Hammann and Cisneros-Mata, 1989). The spawning of both species is from the end of autumn to early spring in the central part of the Gulf, including the zone of Islas Angel de la Guarda and Tiburón (hereafter named ‘BIZ’) (Hammann and Cisneros-Mata, 1989). The spatial distri-bution of their eggs and larvae has been documented. Green-Ruíz and Hinojosa