Biological indicator of warming events: Presence of the Cortez angelfish Pomacanthus zonipectus at temperate conditions of Bahía de San Quintín, Baja California, México

Abstract

An individual of the Cortez angelfish, Pomacanthus zonipectus (Gill, 1862) was obtained at the temperate Bahía de San Quintín, Baja California, México (Lat. 30.428343, Long. 115.987014), on May 15, 2021. All counts, morphological descriptions, and colors of the specimen caught agree with the previous descriptions for the species P. zonipectus. The Cortez angelfish is a tropical fish species, and its presence at the temperate environment may possibly be associated with warming events, The Blob-El Niño 2013-2016, or the most recent moderate El Niño 2018-2019. This occurrence constitutes the first record for the Cortez angelfish in the San Quintín area, northern Pacific off Baja California, and after thousands of samplings with different fishing gears beginning in 1993. The Cortez angelfish was recently recorded in August 25, 2016 as a new occurrence in Laguna Ojo de Liebre, Baja California Sur, México, also in the same warming event of The Blob-El Niño 2013-2016; from Ojo de Liebre to Bahía de San Quintín represents a northward movement of 355 kilometers and a new record in its distribution.