The larval fish assemblage of the Nornalup-Walpole Estuary, a permanently open estuary on the southern coast of Western Australia

Fish larvae were sampled in the entrance channel and in the two basins of the permanently open Nornalup-Walpole Estuary, on the southern coast of Western Australia, in each month between October 1989 and September 1990. Sampling yielded a total of 39 068 larvae belonging to 36 species and 23 families, with the engraulidid Engraulis australis (56.7%) and the gobies Pseudogobius olorum (24.4%) and Favonigobius lateralis (15.0%) being the most abundant species. Most of the larvae were caught between November and March, with the concentrations of the most abundant species reaching peaks between January and March, when water temperatures had reached 21-24�C. In terms of number of larvae, the larval fish assemblage in the basins was dominated by species that spawn within the estuary, with the larvae of these species contributing ≥98.7% to the totals at the basin sites. Although the larvae of 26 marine species were caught in the entrance channel, these were either rare or absent in the basins, except for those of the terapontid Pelates sexlineatus, which were moderately abundant in the outer basin. The fact that the larvae of most of these marine species were at the preflexion stage, and that all but three of those species had never been previously recorded as either juveniles or adults within the system, indicates that they were passively transported from outside the estuary. The absence of larvae of most of the marine teleosts that are abundant in the basins of the Nornalup-Walpole Estuary parallels the situation in the nearby and seasonally closed Wilson Inlet.

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Long-term changes of ichthyoplankton communities in an Iberian estuary are driven by varying hydrodynamic conditions

Journal of Plankton Research ◽

10.1093/plankt/fbaa057 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

M Monteiro ◽

U M Azeiteiro ◽

F Martinho ◽

M A Pardal ◽

A L Primo

Keyword(s):

Environmental Variability ◽

Larval Fish ◽

Fish Larvae ◽

Climate Change Impacts ◽

Variable Structure ◽

Local Environment ◽

Strong Relationship ◽

Marine Species ◽

Economic Implications ◽

Species Dominance

Abstract Ichthyoplankton assemblages are key components of estuaries worldwide, playing a vital role as nurseries for fish larvae. Nonetheless, estuaries can be highly affected by ongoing climate change. Impacts of climate variability on ichthyoplankton assemblages will have consequences for marine pelagic food webs and fish populations biology, namely recruitment. This study aims to investigate the influence of environmental variability on an interannual abundance of ichthyoplankton assemblages of the Mondego estuary (Portugal). For this, an ichthyoplankton sampling programme of 13 years (2003–2015) along six distinct sampling stations was analysed to evaluate spatial, seasonal and interannual changes of ichthyoplankton distribution over periods of wet, regular and dry conditions. The ichthyoplanktonic community was dominated by Pomatoschistus spp. across all seasons and conditions, with higher larval abundances during summer and spring. Main changes were related to species seasonality and phenology as well as an increase in the number of marine species during extreme events. The larval fish community showed a strong relationship with the regional and local environment over the study, presenting a distinct yet highly variable structure during the 2009–2013 period. Reported changes will likely trigger major changes in species dominance and abundance, with clear ecological and socio-economic implications.

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Influence of tidal phase and circulation on larval fish distribution in a partially mixed estuary, Corral Bay, Chile

Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom ◽

10.1017/s0025315403006994h ◽

2003 ◽

Vol 83 (1) ◽

pp. 217-222 ◽

Cited By ~ 10

Author(s):

Cristian A. Vargas ◽

Sandro E. Araneda ◽

Guillermo Valenzuela

Keyword(s):

Larval Fish ◽

Fish Larvae ◽

Salt Water ◽

Larval Density ◽

Abundant Species ◽

Fish Distribution ◽

Older Individuals ◽

Austral Spring ◽

Tidal Front ◽

Tidal Phase

The influence of circulation on abundance patterns of larval fish was compared at different phases of the tide in the vicinity of an estuarine front in Corral Bay, Chile during austral spring. Greatest differences in water salinity were found across the frontal region on ebb tides. Because rainfall was low, density differences were primarily due to tidal intrusion of salt water. Larval density was relatively low during both sampling periods with Strangomera bentincki, Oodntesthes regia laticlavia, Gobiesox marmoratus and Hypsoblennius sordidus as the most abundant species. Total ichthyoplankton was always higher near the tidal front (Stations 2 and 3). Spatial distribution in relation to tidal phase showed different patterns for the most abundant fish larval species. Circulation and larval distribution revealed that the bay was a source of young fish larvae but older individuals could also be recruited in and retained there. Results show that the front could act as a physical boundary for larvae transported from offshore through specific mechanism of circulation related with the tidal regime.

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Ichthyoplankton distribution and plankton production related to the shelf break front at the Avilés Canyon

ICES Journal of Marine Science ◽

10.1016/s1054-3139(03)00009-2 ◽

2003 ◽

Vol 60 (2) ◽

pp. 198-210 ◽

Cited By ~ 21

Author(s):

R González-Quirós ◽

J Cabal ◽

F Álvarez-Marqués ◽

A Isla

Keyword(s):

Primary Production ◽

Egg Production ◽

Larval Fish ◽

Fish Larvae ◽

Abundant Species ◽

Physical Structure ◽

Shelf Break ◽

Phytoplankton Productivity ◽

Plankton Production ◽

Avilés Canyon

Abstract The overall objective of this study was to search for spatial differences in primary production and its transference towards larval fish related with the distribution of water masses at shelf break of the Avilés Canyon. High primary production and ichthyoplankton abundance were associated with a shelf break front at the Avilés Canyon. Egg distributions of Scomber scombrus, Sardina pilchardus and Trachurus trachurus, coupled with topography, the associated physical structure and phytoplankton productivity, suggested adaptive spawning strategies. The distribution of copepod stages, which are considered the trophic link between primary producers and fish larvae, was not related with the position of the front. Moreover, the egg production of two abundant species (Calanus helgolandicus and Acartia clausi) was not significantly related with phytoplankton abundance and productivity.

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Environmental conditions influencing the larval fish assemblage during summer in the Gulf of Gabes (Tunisia: South central Mediterranean)

Mediterranean Marine Science ◽

10.12681/mms.1158 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 16 (3) ◽

pp. 666 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

W. K. KOCHED ◽

F. ALEMANY ◽

S. BEN ISMAIL ◽

R. BENMESSAOUD ◽

Α. HATTOUR ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Fish Assemblage ◽

Fish Assemblages ◽

Larval Fish ◽

Fish Larvae ◽

Surface Mixed Layer ◽

Gulf Of Gabes ◽

Predator Species ◽

Pelagic Species ◽

Gulf Of Gabès ◽

South Central

An oceanographic survey was carried out during the summer of 2009, from June 25 to July 3 in the Gulf of Gabes. The study area is characterized by a wide continental shelf.A plankton sampling scheme was carried out to study the structure of the larval fish assemblages that characterizes the surface mixed layer, and to assess the influence of the environmental parameters on their spatial distribution.A total of 36 taxa were identified, 3 classified to the level of genus, 5 to family and 28 to species. The majority of identified fish larvae belonged to demersal species, mainly picarel Spicara smaris (23.76% of the total larval fish abundance), followed by red mullet Mullus barbatus (14.92%) and several species of the Sparidae family (9.15%). Small pelagic species as Sardinella Sardinella aurita and European anchovy Engraulis encrasicolus were also abundant (27.75 %) and dominated the fish larvae community in offshore stations. Five large pelagic species were found among the larvae, including bullet tuna Auxis rochei, Atlantic black skipjack Euthynnus alletteratus, albacore Thunnus alalunga, swordfish Xiphias gladius and the highly migratory Atlantic bluefin tuna Thunnus thynnus. All these apex predator species appear in 38.5% of the sampling stations and contribute about 7.9% of the total larval catches. The larval fish assemblage of the Gulf of Gabes is predominantly composed of neritic species in correspondence with the shallow depths of the study area. Canonical Correspondence Analysis (CCA) showed that larval distributions were mainly conditioned by depth. However, other factors, like hydrographic processes, play also a very important role in shaping the spatial pattern of larval fish distribution.

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Late winter larval fish assemblage in the southern East China Sea, with emphasis on spatial relations between mesopelagic and commercial pelagic fish larvae

Continental Shelf Research ◽

10.1016/j.csr.2015.08.021 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 108 ◽

pp. 97-111 ◽

Cited By ~ 21

Author(s):

Chiyuki Sassa ◽

Yoshinobu Konishi

Keyword(s):

East China Sea ◽

Fish Assemblage ◽

Larval Fish ◽

Fish Larvae ◽

Spatial Relations ◽

Pelagic Fish ◽

East China ◽

Late Winter ◽

China Sea ◽

Southern East China Sea

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Fish larvae off the northwestern coast of the Baja California Peninsula, Mexico

Check List ◽

10.15560/6.2.334 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 6 (2) ◽

pp. 334 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

S. Patricia A. Jiménez-Rosenberg ◽

Ricardo J. Saldierna-Martínez ◽

Gerardo Aceves-Medina ◽

Alejandro Hinojosa-Medina ◽

René Funes-Rodríguez ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Reproductive Behavior ◽

Fish Assemblage ◽

Community Dynamics ◽

Baja California ◽

Larval Fish ◽

Fish Larvae ◽

Distribution Patterns ◽

Baja California Peninsula ◽

Important Species ◽

Commercially Important

The structure of the larval fish assemblage of the northwestern Pacific coast of Mexico is analyzed from zooplankton samples taken between 1998 and 2000 off northern and southern Baja California Peninsula. The 198 fish taxa identified reflected the faunal complexity reported previously for the area. Adult distribution patterns and reproductive behavior, added to the environmental seasonality and bathymetric characteristics of the coast, explained differences in the larval fish assemblage. Larvae of meso- and bathypelagics Vinciguerria lucetia, Diogenichthys laternatus, and Triphoturus mexicanus were the most abundant year round. Larvae of commercially important species, such as Engraulis mordax, Sardinops sagax, Merluccius productus, and Trachurus symmetricus, were also abundant during winter and spring, depending on the year and surveyed region. Adult distribution patterns and reproductive behavior, intra- and interannual environmental variability, and bathymetric characteristics of the coast all likely contributed to the differences in the larval fish community through space and time. For example, the abundance of temperate species in northern Baja California was relatively low when warm-water El Niño conditions prevailed in 1998 but increased during the cool-water La Niña period in 1999 and 2000. The results enhance knowledge of the community dynamics of fishes in an ecologically complex and commercially important region.

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Spatio-temporal variations in abundance and assemblage patterns of fish larvae and their relationships to environmental variables in Sirindhron Reservoir of the Lower Mekong Basin, Thailand

Indian Journal of Fisheries ◽

10.21077/ijf.2016.63.3.54491-02 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 63 (3) ◽

Author(s):

Tuantong Jutagate ◽

Achara Rattanachai ◽

Suriya Udduang ◽

Sithan Lek-Ang ◽

Sovan Lek

Keyword(s):

Species Richness ◽

Temporal Dynamics ◽

Larval Fish ◽

Fish Larvae ◽

Abundant Species ◽

Temporal Variations ◽

Larval Abundance ◽

Wet Season ◽

North East ◽

Spatio Temporal

The spatio-temporal dynamics of fish larvae in Sirindhron Reservoir, north-east Thailand, were investigated from February 2008 to January 2009. The five most abundant species accounted for 53.6% of the total catch and comprised Clupeicthys aesarnensis, Rasbora borapetensis, Barbonymus gonionotus, Esomus metallicus and Oreochromis niloticus. Total larval abundance and species richness varied among sampling months but did not vary with zones in the reservoir. The abundance and species richness of fish larvae showed correlation with flooding, vegetation cover, water level, water temperature and turbidity. A self-organising map (SOM) was used to represent the larval fish assemblage patterns and three assemblage patterns were clearly distinguished primarily according to seasons. In conclusion, the fish larval abundance was greatest during the wet season and the most diverse assemblages were found in the zones adjacent to the connected river upstream during the wet season.

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Composition, seasonality and distribution of the Ichthyoplankton in the Lower Swan Estuary, South-western Australia

Marine and Freshwater Research ◽

10.1071/mf9900529 ◽

1990 ◽

Vol 41 (4) ◽

pp. 529 ◽

Cited By ~ 26

Author(s):

DJ Gaughan ◽

FJ Neira ◽

LE Beckey ◽

IC Potter

Keyword(s):

Western Australia ◽

Fish Larvae ◽

Marine Species ◽

Late Spring ◽

Lower Estuary ◽

Estuary Mouth ◽

Conical Nets ◽

Eggs And Larvae ◽

Larval Number

Paired conical nets (0.5 mm mesh) were used to sample ichthyoplankton at three sites in the lower Swan Estuary in each month between May 1986 and April 1987. In all, 3948 fish larvae were caught, representing 32 families and 60 species, of which 29 could be assigned species names. The Clupeidae (20.2%), Engraulididae (10.4%), Callionymidae (8.7%) and Nemipteridae (6.8%) made the greatest contributions to the total larval number, followed by the Pinguepididae (5.8%), Gobiidae (5.8%), Terapontidae (5.7%) and Monacanthidae (5.4%). The most numerous of the identified species were Engraulis australis (10.4%), Hyperlophus vittatus (8.9%), Callionymus goodladi (8.7%) and Sardinella lemuru (7.4%). The 11 most abundant of the identified species included 2 that spawn in the estuary (E. australis and Parablennius tasmanianus) and 2 that spawn at sea but are abundant as juveniles in the estuary (Pelates sexlineatus and H. vittatus). The remaining 7 species are not common as either juveniles or adults in any region of the Swan Estuary. The larvae of marine species collected just inside the estuary mouth were very similar in size to those collected a further 7.2 km upstream, indicating that they are transported rapidly through the lower estuary, presumably through tidal action. The concentrations of both eggs and larvae of all fish collectively, and the concentrations of larvae of most of the abundant identified species, peaked between late spring and midsummer (November- January).

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Larval Fish East of the Shetland Islands, May 1978 and May 1979

Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom ◽

10.1017/s0025315400030496 ◽

1984 ◽

Vol 64 (3) ◽

pp. 737-738 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

A. N. Economou

Keyword(s):

High Speed ◽

Larval Fish ◽

Fish Larvae ◽

Abundant Species ◽

Dorsal Side ◽

The Body ◽

Melanogrammus Aeglefinus ◽

Shetland Islands ◽

Working Procedure ◽

Species Being

A list of larval fish species sampled during an ecological study of the gadoid larvae in the east of the Shetland Islands area in 1978 (6–21 May) and 1979 (9–30 May) is given in Table 1· 14157 fish larvae were caught in 1978 (in 154 oblique hauls with the High Speed Loch Ewe Net, an unencased sampler with a net of 0·250 mm mesh) and 13 769 larvae in 1979 (in 93 hauls), from which 13632 and 12440 larvae were identified and measured in these 2 years respectively. Most unidentified specimens were damaged. Larval fish taxonomy is given according to Russell (1976). The description of the sampling instrument and the working procedure at sea can be found elsewhere (Economou, 1983).The Gadidae family dominated all others accounting for more than 85% of the total, the three most abundant species being Norway pout(Trisopterus esmarkii (Nilsson)), haddock(Melanogrammus aeglefinus (L.)) and whiting (Merlangius merlangus (L.)).Whiting appeared under three pigmentation patterns, the normal one, another with very weak pigment and a third having the dorsal side of the body very strongly pigmented, sometimes with a gap free of pigment along the dorsal contour. The characters of the last two forms correspond somewhat with the descriptions of the whiting larvae from the southern North Sea and the Loch Etive (Russell, 1976). Norway pout displayed the typical form of melanophores but few specimens presented a pattern of fine but intense spots. There was some evidence that a few of the larvae identified as Norway pout at the end of May 1979 were actually Trisopterus minutus larvae.

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