646 



Fishery Bulletin 100(3) 



it is possible that overwinter mortality rates are similar 

 between small individuals spawned late in the growing 

 season and larger conspecifics spawned early, and that 

 late spawning is not selected against for P. carolinus. 



In this study, I demonstrate that interspecific and clinal 

 variations of overwintering size for Prionotus species ex- 

 ist and that these are consistent with previous age and 

 growth studies. Ginsburg (1950) also noted clinal varia- 

 tion for some meristic characters of both congeners that is 

 consistent with Jordan's rule (i.e. higher counts at higher 

 latitudes). McBride et al. (2002) have demonstrated re- 

 gional differences in spawning seasonality for Prionotus 

 species and short larval durations that limit dispersal of 

 Prionotus planktonic stages; these are the likely mecha- 

 nisms maintaining regional differences in juvenile sizes 

 and meristic characters. Researchers should be aware 

 of this demonstrated clinal variation and the potential 

 for further life history, phenotypic, and possibly genetic 

 variation of Prionotus species in temperate waters of the 

 western North Atlantic. 



Acknowledgments 



K. Able, R. Cowen, M. Fahay, J. P. Grassle, R. Loveland, 

 and C. L. Smith contributed helpful comments on an 

 earlier draft and thoughtful discussions regarding this 

 research. D. Flescher and J. Galbraith provided data and 

 specimens from bottom trawl collections by the National 

 Marine Fisheries Service. D. Byrne (NJ) and S. Michels 

 (DE) provided data and specimens from the bottom trawl 

 surveys by their respective state agencies. L. S. Hales 

 improved the quality of the culturing experiments. L. 

 S. Hales, D. Merryman, and H. Patterson assisted with 

 otolith preparation. M. Palavido prepared the maps in 

 Figure 1. This study was part of a doctoral dissertation 

 (R.S.M.) and was funded by the Institute of Marine and 

 Coastal Sciences (IMCS-Rutgers) and the NOAA National 

 Undersea Research Program for the New York Bight. 

 Final preparation and revision of this manuscript were 

 made at the Florida Marine Research Institute. I thank 

 all of the above. 



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