Publisher : Bulletin of Marine Science
Place of publication :
Publication year : 2003
Thematic : Coral Reef
Language : English
Note
The taxonomic structure, abundance, and horizontal distribution patterns of larval fishes
were examined across a neritic-oceanic gradient off La Parguera, southwest coast of Puerto
Rico during three cruises in February 1995, December 1995 and May 1996. Sampling
distance contours positioned at 6, 10, 13, 17, 29 and 46 km from the coastline were
occupied along three transects for a total of 18 stations sampled each cruise. A total of
35,024 larval fishes, representing 81 families was collected. Larval fish abundance declined
across the neritic-oceanic gradient in each of the three sampling cruises. Coral reef
fish larvae were the numerically dominant assemblage as far as 29 km (OC-29), but
declined to less than 5 ind/100m3 at OC-46, where oceanic type larvae represented more
than 85% of the total individuals. This data suggests that the distribution of coral reef fish
larvae is mostly restricted to a fringe of less than 46 km from the coastline off La Parguera,
in the northern Caribbean. Larval taxonomic structure at neritic contours (N-6 and N-10)
was dominated by Clupeiformes, Gobiidae, Pomacentridae, Blennioidae, and Lutjanidae.
The shelf-edge (SE-13) and oceanic contours down to OC-29 presented a mixed taxonomic
assemblage of reef and oceanic larvae. Contour OC-46 formed a distinct cluster of
‘oceanic type’ larvae numerically dominated by Myctophidae (59.5%), Scombridae (7%)
and Gonostomatidae (6%). Three basic dispersion patterns of Caribbean coral reef fish
larvae can be discerned from this study, one mostly neritic, a widespread oceanic, and
one associated with the outer shelf and the shelf-edge. Clupeiformes (sardines and anchovies),
Labridae (wrasses) and Lutjanidae (snappers) are presented as model populations
for the different dispersion patterns of coral reef fish larvae off La Parguera.
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Keywords :
Encoded by : Pauline Carmel Joy Eje