Early and Mid-Metamorphic Larvae of the Tarpon, Megalops atlantica, from the Cape Fear River Estuary, North Carolina, 1973-74

Abstract

Sampling of larval fishes in the Cape Fear River Estuary and at the Brunswick Steam Electric Plant intake and discharge structures, near Southport, North Carolina, yielded 24 metamorphic tarpon,Megalops atlantica, larvae during 1973–74. These larvae were probably spawned somewhere off or to the south of Cape Fear from April or May to September. All larvae taken in the river were collected near the bottom at or just after low tide, while most of those caught in tidal creeks were near the surface, but also were caught near the time of low tide. A possible explanation for this difference is the development of air-breathing in the shrinking larvae. Larvae appear to be more active at night and may thereby avoid high daytime predation.