Influence of Salt Front Position on the Occurrence of Uncommon Marine Fishes in the Hudson River Estuary

Abstract

Six species of marine fishes, the Atlantic cutlassfish Trichiurus lepturus; planehead filefish, Monacanthus hispidus; guaguanche, Sphyraena guachancho; pigfish, Orthopristic chrysoptera; freckled blenny, Hypsoblenius ionthas; and short bigeye, Pristigenys alta, were observed for the first time in the Hudson River estuary in 1985. Their occurrence was associated with low freshwater runoff and the resulting upstream penetration of the salt front to historic levels. These conditions may have facilitated the dispersal of marine fishes from coastal areas into the lower Hudson River estuary.