[Some attributes of community structure of fishes in Laguna Grande de Obispo, Golfo Cariaco, Sucre State, Venezuela]. / Algunos atributos de la estructura comunitaria de la ictiofauna de la Laguna Grande de Obispo, Golfo de Cariaco, Venezuela.

Species composition, relative abundance, diversity and community structure of fishes were studied from monthly sampling during December 1995 to November 1996 in the Laguna Grande de Obispo, Gulf of Cariaco, Sucre State, Venezuela. Sampling were realised in 3 stations inside the lagoon with a small beach seine and the other 4 stations with a large beach seine. Seventy four species belonging to 33 families and 68 genera were identified of which 8 species dominated, constituting 90.43% of total catch. Mugil curema, Xenomelaniris brasiliensis, Opistonema oglinum, Atherinomorus stipes and Anchoa hepsetus were present in high abundance in the biomass. M. curema dominated the catch with large seine while X. brasiliensis, M. curema and Eucinostomus argenteus dominated the catch with small seine. Species diversity (H') ranged from 2.968-4.607 bits/ind and species richness of Margalef from 2.752-7.464. An inverse analysis realized on catches by small seine and based on nodal constancy and fidelity allowed to define a pattern of spatial distribution of 9 groups containing 1 to 11 species on the basis their abundance, frequency of appearance and ecological characteristics of each area. An analysis of correlation showed that the salinity, dissolved O2 and precipitation did not show any significant correlation with the ecological parameters studied but existed significant correlation with average surface water temperature (p < 0.05), number of species (S), individuals (N), diversity (H') and species richness (D). The positive correlation was found with surface temperature but no relationship with relative dominance (D1 and D2). The CPUE in biomass did not show any significant association with temperature.

[Spatial and temporal variation of the fish community inhabiting the Laguna Grande de Obispo, Gulf of Cariaco, Sucre State, Venezuela]. / Variacion espacio-temporal de la comunidad de peces en Laguna Grande de Obispo, Golfo de Caroaco, Estado Sucre, Venezuela.

The monthly species composition and the spatial and temporal variation of fish community of Laguna Grande de Obispo, Gulf of Canaco, Sucre State, Venezuela were analyzed. The samples were collected using two beach seines of different size from December 1995 to November 1996. A cluster analysis for stations inside the lagoon and time of capture showed 4 major groups, defined principally with ecological parameters of each area. Fishing with large seine in and outside the lagoon showed two large groups which were divided into 10 subgroups in function of station and time, while an inverse analysis of the same sample differentiated into 8 groups of species. based on distribution, dominance, and occurrence. Xenomeianiris brasiliensis, Mugil curema and Eucinostomus argenteus were the most abundant species in both time and space. An analysis of conglomerate on the whole fish community of the sampling period indicated the existence of two groups: i) the first half of the year including December 1995 and October 1996 and ii) the second half of the year. The distribution of fishes in relation to ecological factors is discussed.