JAHN ET AL.: FOOD-SEEKING LARVAL WHITE CROAKER 



and postflexion larvae (95%) than among preflex- 

 ion larvae (82%). 



Gut Contents 



The white croaker larvae were divided into 

 three size classes for analysis of gut contents with 

 regard to height above the bottom: preflexion lar- 

 vae <2.7 mm (size 1), preflexion larvae >2.7 mm 

 (size 2), and flexion and postflexion larvae (size 



E 

 o 



o 



84 guts 

 373 prey 



E 

 o 



o 



o 



3). The largest preflexion larva was 4.6 mm NL, 

 and the smallest flexion stage larva was 5.5 mm 

 FL. The division of preflexion larvae at 2.7 mm 

 retained all but one specimen at 6.7 m in size 1 

 while partitioning the preflexion larvae at 1 m 

 and 0.5 m about equally into sizes 1 and 2 (Figs. 

 2, 3). Besides the 2.75 mm specimen at 6.7 m, a 

 single flexion stage larva at 1 m was excluded by 

 these criteria from the comparisons. 



31 guts 

 82 prey 



21 guts 

 66 prey 



DINOFLAGELLATES 



TINTINNIDS 



ROTIFERS 



POLYCHAETE LARVAE 



LAMELIBRANCH LARVAE 



NAUPLII 



COPEPODS 



AMPHIPODS 



INVERTEBRATE EGGS 



OTHER 



^ 



^ 



^ 



Hii 



ESS 



E 

 o 



o 

 it) 



SIZE 1 



SIZE 2 



SIZE 3 



Figure 3. — Percentage contribution of 10 food categories to the diet of larval white croaker at three heights above the 

 bottom. Size 1 = preflexion larvae <2.7 mm NL; size 2 = preflexion larvae >2.7 mm NL; size 3 = flexion and 

 postflexion-stage larvae. 



257 



