Able et al.: Transitions in morphological features, habitat use, and diet of Lophius amencanus 



463 



l-i. 



- - a . 



JlL 



^Jfti.n 



1997 



Li 



^■■■_tt i ^i , n. 



Jl 



I ftl^ J Jj 



Long Branch 

 (north) 



Shark River Inlet 



Sampling locations 



Manasquan 

 Inlet 



Figure 2 



Composite spatial distribution and density (vertical lines above 

 bars = mean standard error) of larval goosefish (Lophius america- 

 nus) sampled along the northern New Jersey coast (Fig. 1, Army 

 Corps of Engineers) based on nearly equally spaced sampling 

 locations between Long Branch and Manasquan Inlet, NJ, from 

 1996 through 1999. Samples were collected in the surf zone (0 to 

 2 m, closed bars, n=22 sampling stations) and in nearshore waters 

 (6 to 7 m, open bars, ^=9 sampling stations). 



and July (Fig. 2). These collections of goosefish larvae 

 were consistent with a May-June reproductive period 

 estimated from gonadal condition of specimens collected 

 in the area from Cape Hatteras to southern New Eng- 

 land (Armstrong et al., 1992). 



Our examination of lapillar otoliths provided esti- 

 mates of the timing of several early life history events. 

 There was good correspondence between the release of 

 just-hatched larvae from the veil and the formation of 

 a hatching check on the lapilli of laboratory-reared in- 

 dividuals. There were multiple microincrements before 

 hatching (mean=5, range: 0-8). The variable number 

 of microincrements prior to a "hatching check" on the 

 lapillar otoliths may reflect the completion of hatching 

 from the chorion and subsequent release of larvae from 

 the egg veil. The completion of the yolk absorption ap- 

 peared to correspond with a second check. The hatch- 

 ing and yolk absorption checks corresponded to similar 

 checks in the otoliths of L. piscatorius (Hislop et al., 

 2001). Further, examination of otoliths from juvenile 



goosefish caught in the Middle Atlantic Bight indicated 

 good correspondence between the hatching check and 

 back-calculated mean size at hatching (4.5 mm TL, 

 Fig. 3) and hatching sizes (2.5-4.5 mm TL) (Caruso, 

 2002). Back-calculations to a hatching check in lapilli 

 (see below) indicated that hatching in specimens col- 

 lected in the Middle Atlantic Bight occurred from June 

 to October and peaked around July. This prolonged 

 period of spawning and hatching was in agreement 

 with several other spawning and hatching estimates for 

 goosefish in the area (Caruso, 2002). The check on lapil- 

 lar otoliths corresponding to yolk absorption occurred 

 after 9-26 (mean = 18) increments (days) at reported 

 sizes of 6-8 mm TL (Caruso, 2002; Everly, 2002). 



A third check (Fig. 3), which we believe corresponded 

 with settlement, occurred in 57% of the lapilli exam- 

 ined. Back-calculated lengths at this check resulted in 

 estimates of sizes at settlement from 52-83 (mean=68) 

 mm TL and at ages 34-71 days after hatching. Indi- 

 viduals at these sizes were undergoing rapid changes in 



