Larval distribution and abundance of pleuronectiformes from the southern gulf of Mexico

Abstract

The larval material was collected with a bongo net during four oceanographic cruises, conducted on the southern Gulf of Mexico, between 1983 and 1984. A total number of 5163 larvae were captured; 11 species belonging to Bothidae, two to Cynoglossidae and two to Soleidae. Syacium gunteri (25·9%), Symphurus civitatus (24·0%), Etropus crossotus (9·5%) and Bothus ocellatus (8·1%) comprised more than 67% of total larvae. Except for Trichopsetta ventralis which has an oceanic distribution, all species occurred principally over the continental shelf. Relative high frequency of occurrence and great abundance of larvae of Engyophrys senta, Cyclopsetta fimbriata, Citharichthys gymnorhinus, Citharichthys abbotti, Citharichthys spilopterus and Citharichtys cornutus were recorded in the outer shelf and adjacent oceanic area. Larvae of S. gunteri, S. civitatus, B. ocellatus, E. crossotus, Cyclopsetta chittendeni and Symphurus plagiusa occurred mainly in areas less than 100 m deep and larvae of Trinectes maculatus and Achirus lineatus at the inner shelf (< 40 m deep). Most of the species occurred year-round; some of them showed some seasonality in occurrence, such as S. gunteri, E. crossotus and S civitatus which showed highest larval densities in the spring. Larvae of E. senta and C. fimbriata were most abundant in spring-summer and winter respectively.