Observations on the Eulittoral Ichthyofauna of the Texas Gulf Coast

Abstract

The shallow-water fish fauna of the northern Gulf of Mexico proper is but scantily reported in the literature. A study of the beach zone at Gilchrist, Texas, during the summer of 1955 revealed the presence of 38 species of fishes. Certain of the Gulf inhabitants appeared to have moved into the area from East Bay through the newly-constructed Rollover Pass. The relative abundance and size distribution of several species indicated conditions intermediate between those of the Louisiana and lower Texas coasts. During the summer of 1954, 1955, and 1956, the author has been engaged in studying the ecology of East Bay, Texas, a part of the Galveston Bay system. This investigation, a project of the Marine Division, Texas Game and Fish Commission, was primarily concerned with the effects of the introduction of Gulf of Mexico waters into estuarine East Bay through Rollover Pass. The 1954 study was conducted prior to the cutting of the pass through Bolivar Peninsula and the results have been reported (Reid, 1955a, 1955b). Investigations of the bay were made in June, 1955 and 1956, following the excavation of the pass and the introduction of more saline waters; the report of the 1955 bay study has been published (Reid, 1956). Since the construction of the pass through narrow Bolivar Peninsula would allow for intermingling of bay and Gulf organisms, attention was also given to the fauna of the Gulf eulittoral zone. An account of the Gulf shallow-water fauna in the vicinity of Gilchrist, Texas, in June and early July, 1954, is contained in an earlier publication (Reid, 1955b). The amount of published information relative to fish populations in the shallow beach-zones along the northern Gulf is deplorably meager. With this in mind, the present account of observations made in June, 1955, and comparison with data from 1954 are offered as a contribution to the knowledge of the Gulf fauna generally, and to an increased understanding of the life history, ecology, and distribution of several fish species specifically. Twenty-nine collections were made with a one hundred-foot seine, the mesh of which was three-quarters of an inch stretched. The net was carried out to a depth of approximately five feet, played out parallel to shore, and pulled straight in. Salinities were determined I A contribution from the Marine Laboratory, Texas Game and Fish Commission, Rockport, Texas. This content downloaded from 157.55.39.171 on Sat, 23 Jul 2016 04:28:01 UTC All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms