Variation in the growth of larval and juvenile snapper, Chrysophrys auratus (Sparidae)

2012 ◽  
Vol 63 (12) ◽  
pp. 1231 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carina J. Sim-Smith ◽  
Andrew G. Jeffs ◽  
Craig A. Radford

For many fish species, growth and mortality of larvae are closely coupled, with faster-growing larvae generally experiencing higher survivorship in the plankton, which may lead to higher recruitment. Using back-calculated growth trajectories derived from otolith increments we used the modified Fry model to estimate the growth rate of larvae and early juveniles of the commercially important sparid, Chrysophrys auratus, at four sites around northern New Zealand. Back-calculated growth rates were used to test the hypothesis that fish with a short pelagic larval duration (≤20 days) grew faster than did fish with a long pelagic larval duration (>24 days) during both the larval and juvenile periods. At three of the four sites, fish with a short larval duration grew significantly faster during the larval period, and these larvae generally continued to have a larger size-at-age as juveniles up to 70-day-old. Growth rates for both the larval and early juvenile period were also found to vary significantly among the four sites and were found to be unrelated to differences in water temperature. Localised variation in early growth of C. auratus among sites may be important in helping explain differences in their contribution to the recruitment to C. auratus populations.

PeerJ ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 6 ◽  
pp. e4741
Author(s):  
Wen-Chien Huang ◽  
Jui-Tsung Chang ◽  
Chun Liao ◽  
Atsushi Tawa ◽  
Yoshiyuki Iizuka ◽  
...  

The relationships between pelagic larval duration (PLD) and geographic distribution patterns or population genetic structures of fishes remain obscure and highly variable among species. To further understand the early life history of the tidepool snake morayUropterygius micropterusand the potential relationship between PLD and population genetic structure of this species, otolith microstructure and population genetics based on concatenated mtDNA sequence (cytochromeband cytochrome oxidase subunit I, 1,336 bp) were analyzed for 195 specimens collected from eight locations around the southern Ryukyu Islands, Taiwan, and the central Philippines. Eels with longer PLD and lower otolith growth rates were observed at relatively higher latitudes with lower water temperatures (54.6 ± 7.7 days and 1.28 ± 0.16 µm day−1on Ishigaki Island, Japan, vs. 43.9 ± 4.9 days and 1.60 ± 0.19 µm day−1on Badian, the Philippines), suggesting that leptocephali grew faster and had shortened pelagic periods in warmer waters. Meanwhile, the eels along the southwest coast of Taiwan had relatively longer PLD (57.9 ± 10.5 days), which might be associated with the more complex ocean current systems compared to their counterparts collected along the east coast of Taiwan (52.6 ± 8.0 days). However, the southwestern and eastern Taiwan groups had similar otolith growth rates (1.33 ± 0.19 µm day−1vs. 1.36 ± 0.16 µm day−1). Despite the intergroup variation in PLD, genetic analysis revealed fluent gene flow among the tidepool snake morays in the study regions, implying that intraspecies PLD variation had a weak effect on genetic structure. The leptocephalus stage might have ensured the widespread gene flow among the study areas and leptocephalus growth was likely influenced by regional water temperature.


2006 ◽  
Vol 68 (4) ◽  
pp. 1206-1214 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. K. Bay ◽  
K. Buechler ◽  
M. Gagliano ◽  
M. J. Caley

1971 ◽  
Vol 28 (8) ◽  
pp. 1153-1165 ◽  
Author(s):  
V. S. Kennedy ◽  
D. H. Steele

Monthly samples of winter flounder taken in Long Pond from November 1962 to October 1963 indicated that the flounder moved into deeper water (7–10 m) during the summer and returned to shallow water (1–2 m) from September to June. These movements corresponded to the end of the spawning season and the ripening of the gonads respectively. Spawning occurred from March until early June, most of it in May and early June. Most males were mature at age 6 and most females at age 7. Fifty percent of the males and females were mature at 21 and 25 cm respectively. The growth rates of the males and females were similar until the age of 8, after which the females apparently outgrew the males. Early growth and fecundity were similar to those reported for other areas. No feeding took place in December or January but the flounder fed in March and continued to feed throughout the summer; food intake decreased in the fall. They were omnivorous and the type of food eaten varied with the locality. Polychaetes, plant material, and molluscs were the most common food items throughout the year. Capelin eggs and fish remains were found only during a few months of the year but were eaten in great quantities.


2013 ◽  
Vol 22 (6) ◽  
pp. 1518-1530 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. Feutry ◽  
A. Vergnes ◽  
D. Broderick ◽  
J. Lambourdière ◽  
P. Keith ◽  
...  

PeerJ ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 3 ◽  
pp. e1392
Author(s):  
Juan C. Levesque

Ladyfish (Elopssp) are a common and economically valuable coastal nearshore species found along coastal beaches, bays, and estuaries of the southeastern United States, and subtropical and tropical regions worldwide. Previously, ladyfish were a substantial bycatch in Florida’s commercial fisheries, but changes in regulations significantly reduced commercial landings. Today, ladyfish are still taken in commercial fisheries in Florida, but many are also taken by recreational anglers. Life-history information and research interest in ladyfish is almost non-existent, especially information on age and growth. Thus, the overarching purpose of this study was to expand our understanding of ladyfish age and growth characteristics. The specific objectives were to describe, for the first time, age, growth, and recruitment patterns of juvenile ladyfish from the east coast of Florida (USA). In the Indian River Lagoon (IRL), annual monthly length-frequency distributions were confounded because a few small individuals recruited throughout the year; monthly length-frequency data generally demonstrated a cyclical pattern. The smallest were collected in September and the largest in May. Post-hoc analysis showed no significant difference in length between August and May, or among the other months. In Volusia County (VC), annual monthly length-frequency distribution demonstrated growth generally occurred from late-winter and spring to summer. The smallest ladyfish were collected in February and the largest in August. On average, the absolute growth rate in the IRL was 36.3 mm in 60 days or 0.605 mm day−1. Cohort-specific daily growth rates, elevations, and coincidentals were similar among sampling years. Cohort-specific growth rates ranged from 1.807 in 1993 to 1.811 mm day−1in 1994. Overall, growth was best (i.e., goodness of fit) described by exponential regression. On average, the absolute growth rate in VC was 28 mm in 150 days or 0.1866 mm day−1. Cohort-specific daily growth rates were significantly different among sampling years; however, the elevations and coincidentals were similar. Cohort-specific growth rates ranged from 1.741 in 1994 to 1.933 mm day−1in 1993. Mean ladyfish growth was best described by linear regression; however, natural growth was explained better by exponential regression. In the IRL, the corrected exponential growth equation yielded a size-at-age 1 of 156.0 mm SL, which corresponded to an estimated growth rate of 0.4356 mm day−1. In VC, the corrected exponential growth equation yielded a size-at-age 1 of 80 mm SL corresponding to an estimated growth rate of 0.2361 mm day−1.


Zootaxa ◽  
2010 ◽  
Vol 2346 (1) ◽  
pp. 53-61
Author(s):  
BENJAMIN C. VICTOR ◽  
LOURDES VASQUEZ-YEOMANS ◽  
MARTHA VALDEZ-MORENO ◽  
LESLIE WILK ◽  
DAVID L. JONES ◽  
...  

Additional larval, juvenile, and adult specimens and live photographs of the Caribbean Kuna Goby, Coryphopterus kuna, expand the known geographic range for the species and allow a comprehensive description of all the life stages for this recently-discovered species, including age and growth estimates from daily otolith increments. The Kuna Goby is found widely throughout the tropical western Atlantic, including southern Florida, Quintana Roo on the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico, Belize, Honduras, Panama, San Andres Island, Bonaire, and Guadeloupe. The additional specimens indicate that C. kuna has a pelvic frenum and that females have a black flag on the outer portion of the first two spinous dorsal-fin membranes, while males have a dark stripe along the mid-length of the spinous dorsal fin. The development of melanophores on pelagic larvae through the transition to settled juvenile is described. The Kuna Goby is a notably small goby: larvae settle around 7–9 mm SL, adults mature at 10–11 mm SL and then only attain about 17 mm SL. Kuna Gobies settle after a 60-day pelagic larval life, and mature rapidly. They are reproductive in as few as three weeks and live for about two months after settlement. This is the first reported fish in which the pelagic larval duration is generally longer than the post-settlement lifespan.


Abstract.—Research on the ecology of salmon in the northeast Pacific Ocean began in the early 20th century. Charles Gilbert and Willis Rich demonstrated the basis for the stock concept and were instrumental in changing common misconceptions of the times. Later in the 1900s, research endeavors, primarily under the auspices of the International North Pacific Fisheries Commission, led to important studies on the distribution and migration of maturing salmon on the high seas. Research on the early juvenile period was initiated later, especially after the 1982–1983 El Niño clearly showed the limits of the ocean’s carrying capacity along the west coast of the United States. There is now good evidence for both intra- and interspecific competition among salmon in the open ocean and for correlations between variable physical environments, such as El Niños and regime shifts, and survival of salmon during early ocean life. How mortality rates are affected by physical forcing, food availability, predation, and food web structure and how these effects will be modified by climate change and global warming are all major challenges for the future.


PeerJ ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 6 ◽  
pp. e4789 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chunlong Liu ◽  
Weiwei Xian ◽  
Shude Liu ◽  
Yifeng Chen

Resources of Japanese anchovy (Engraulis japonicus Temminck & Schlegel, 1846) are undergoing dramatic recessions in China as the consequence of intensifying anthropogenic activities. Elucidating the influences of local-scale environmental factors on early life history traits is of great importance to design strategies conserving and restoring the declining anchovy resources. In this research, we studied hatching date and early growth of anchovy in the Yangtze River Estuary (YRE) using information obtained from otolith microstructure. Onset of hatching season and growth rates of anchovy was compared to populations in Japan and Taiwan. In YRE, the hatching date of anchovy ranged from February 26th to April 6th and mean growth rate ranged from 0.27 to 0.77 mm/d. Anchovies hatching later had higher growth rates than individuals hatching earlier before the 25th day. Among populations, hatching onsets of anchovy from the higher latitude were later than populations in the lower latitude, and growth rates of anchovy in YRE were much lower than populations in Japan and Taiwan. Variations in hatching onsets and early growth patterns of anchovy thus provide important knowledge on understanding the adaptation of anchovy in YRE and designing management strategies on conserving China’s anchovy resources.


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