KENDALL and REINTJES: DISTRIBUTION OF ATLANTIC MENHADEN EGGS AND LARVAE 



Figure l.-RV Dolphin survey, 1965-66. Locations of transects 

 and collecting stations. 



Gulf V plankton samplers with 0.4-m openings 

 and 0.52-mm wire mesh were towed for 30 min at 5 

 knots (2.6 m/s) in step-oblique tows at each sta- 



tion. Two nets were fished simultaneously at six 

 3-m depth intervals, from separate warps, one 

 shallow (0-15 m) and one deep (18-33 m), where 

 water depth permitted. In shallower water fewer 

 depth intervals were sampled for longer time 

 periods. Plankton samples were preserved in 4% 

 buffered formaldehyde solution and brought to 

 shore for sorting. Supplementary data collected at 

 each station included water temperature and 

 salinity with depth. A scaled-down Cobb mid- 

 water trawl was towed at about half of the sta- 

 tions to collect juvenile fishes. 



Fish eggs and larvae were separated from the 

 plankton in the laboratory. Clupeoid larvae were 

 distinguished by their slender body, long gut, 

 sparse pigment, and short dorsal and anal fin bases 

 (Table 2), and separated from other larvae. 



Several other fishes whose long slender larvae 

 resemble clupeoids occur in the area but they 

 differ in certain features. Lizardfish larvae have a 

 large finfold, an adipose fin later in development, 

 and a row of 6 to 12 paired dark patches ventrally 

 along the body (Anderson et al. 1966). Other elon- 

 gate salmoniform larvae generally have an 

 adipose fin, photophores often, and oval or stalked 

 eyes. Sand lance larvae have little pigment, but the 

 dorsal and anal fins extend most of the length of 

 the body (Norcross et al. 1961). Blennioid larvae 

 have a short gut, with the anus forward of 

 midlength of the body, and long dorsal and anal fin 

 bases. Other larvae are excluded by myomere 

 counts which fall outside the range for clupeoids 

 (38-55) or by other distinctive characters not found 

 on clupeoid larvae. 



Table 2.-Distinguishing features of Atlantic coast clupeoid 



larvae. 



Character 



Distinguishing features 



Body shape 



Fin positions 



Meristic counts 



Pigmentation 



General 



Body slender and elongate, the greatest body 



depth less than 20% of total length. 

 Anus in posterior third of body. 



Dorsal — single, short, about two-thirds way 



back along body; no adipose fin. 

 Anal — posterior to at least part of dorsal 



fin, not confluent with caudal fin. 

 Pelvics — abdominal, at about midlength on 



the body. 



Myomeres (vertebrae) — 38-55. 



Dorsal fin rays — 9-22. 



Anal fin rays - 10-30. 



Principal caudal fin rays — 10 -|- 9. 



Little pigment except ventrally. 

 Ventral pigment — small spots on throat, 

 along the gut, and at base of caudal fin. 



Eyes round, in orbits, not stalked. 

 Gut straight with annular folding of the 

 intestine. 



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