Larvae and Juveniles of Temperate Bass, Lateolabrax latus, Occurring in the Surf Zones of Tosa Bay, Japan

Abstract

A total of 343 larval and juvenile Lateolabrax latus (9.2–27.0 mm TL) was collected with a small seine in surf zones of Tosa Bay. They are very similar in general morphology to those of the closely related L. japonicus, but can be distinguished from them by the distribution pattern of melanophores on the tail, head spination, proportion of head length to standard length and the 15 or 16 dorsal fin soft-rays. They occurred in surf zones of Tosa Bay from early January to middle May, being most abundant in middle April. Temperatures and salinities of waters where any number of them were collected ranged from 12.2 to 24.0°C and from 23.7 to 34.5%, respectively. Larval and juvenile L. latus have not been reported so far in coastal and shallow waters, and eelgrass beds of southern Japan. It may be possible that they have been confounded with those of L. japonicus. Their occurrence seems to be limited in extremely shallow waters such as surf zones.