Distribución y abundancia de larvas de Sciaenidae en la columna de agua, en el sur del Golfo de México. Primavera

Abstract

Inorder to know the possible larval sizes vertical distribution pattern of Sciaenidae family in the southern Gulf of Mexico, larvae from 22 stations distributed in 4 transects located off Del Carmen and Machona Lagoons, Términos Lagoon and Grijalba-Usumacinta system, was analysed. Sampling was carried out during spring season, with open-close nets; 75 cm mouth diamenter, 235 cm length nad 505 mm mesh. The sampled layers in the water column were taken on the following ranges: 0-6 m, 6-12 m, 12-16 m, 45-55 m and 95-105 m depth. Salinity and temperature data were recorder from the water column at every station. A total of 294 Sciaenidae larvae were caught, blonging to the taxa: Cynoscion arenarius (56.0%), Stellifer lanceolatus (13.0%), Menticirrhus spp. (12.2%), Cynoscion nothus (10.15), Larimus fasciatus (1.0%) y Micropogonias spp. (0.9%). Larvae of these taxa occurred on the inner continental shelf, ca. 50 km from de the coastline mainly in areas between 18-36 m depth, and they were caugh only in the surface layer or in coastal stations.  The larvae vertical distribution shown that 81.4% occurred at 6-12 m depth, 15.9% at the surface layer and only four larave at 12-18 m layer. In the study period the larvae of this family dwell above 20 m depth and esentially correspond to larvae less than 3 mm, in preflexion and flexion stages.