El Salvador Pacific Ocean Homes Shifting Species

El Salvador Pacific Ocean Coastal Regions under changes which allow shifting of species

A ten year investigation in El Salvador Pacific Ocean revealed at least nine marine species are now located in areas where before they could not been found. Species include sponges, medusas, anemones, flat worms and others.

Coordinator of the work and representative of the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources MARN of EL Salvador Biologist Enrique Barraza assured that the group of nine species are part of a wider group of 70 marine invertebrates and 40 fish species. Results of the investigation were released to the press in three final documents.

Despite the species inhabit diverse other regions of the world and of El Salvador Oceans the investigation concluded that they are now inhabiting niches which they never used to inhabit before.

Sponge species include Axinella sp. and Aplysina sp. The Biologist added that these are concentrated in “all marine rock zones of the country. Medusas of type Aurelia sp. and Chrysaora sp have been discovered throughout the entire coastal environmental.

The area of investigation also revealed that three new kinds of anemones are taking to the location including Bunodosoma grandis, Phyllactis sp. and Telmatactis panamensis.

Species which take over a new environment often do so when trophic chains are altered or when the environmental conditions present new available energy “favorable” for new species. Presence of species in new locations signals to the similarities and transformations of an area evolving into another type niche.

Areas of El Salvador coast Acajutla and Los Cóbanos in the department of Sonsonate and department of Union in the Golf of Fonseca are part of the new study area. Worm specie identified include Cryptobiceros bajae and Praestheceraeus bellorostriatus.

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