STANDARD and CHITTENDEN: REPRODUCTION. MOVEMENT, AND POPULATION OK BANDED DRUM 



found at ages II and III, respectively. Therefore, a 

 t L value of 2-3 yr may be realistic for a stock that 

 ranges over the north central and northwestern 

 Gulf. We assume in suggesting this, that differ- 

 ences in size compositions do not reflect only possi- 

 ble intra-Gulf growth differences and greater size 

 at age in the north central Gulf. 



The mean apparent time-specific and cohort- 

 specific total annual mortality rates we observed 

 for the northwestern Gulf (92-100% ) agree with 

 theoretical estimates (Royce 1972:238) of 90-100% 

 if maximum life span typically is only 1-2 yr as we 

 found for that area. Because larger, older L. fas- 

 ciatus probably emigrate to the north central Gulf, 

 our observed mortality estimates are probably too 

 high for a stock that ranges over both areas. 

 Theoretical values of 80-90% based on a 2-3 yr 

 typical maximum life span may be more realistic, 

 a magnitude which agrees with the lowest values 

 tenable for other sympatric species such as C. 

 arenarius (Shlossman and Chittenden 1981), C. 

 nothus (DeVries and Chittenden 1982), S. cap- 

 rinus (Geoghegan and Chittenden 1982), and P. 

 burti iMurphy 1981). Even values of 80-90% are 

 higher than the three lowest mortality rates we 

 found for the northwestern Gulf (55-74%) and 

 rates of 57 and 81% that Ross (1978) reported off 

 North Carolina; the latter range of values is 

 theoretically appropriate as an average over life 

 spans of 3-5 yr, although present data suggest 4-5 

 yr is too large a value of t L for the Gulf. 



General 



Population dynamics of L. fasciatus are similar 

 to those reported from the northwestern Gulf for 

 M. undulatus (White and Chittenden 1977), C. 

 arenarius (Shlossman and Chittenden 1981), C. 

 nothus (DeVries and Chittenden 1982), S. cap- 

 rinus (Geoghegan and Chittenden 1982), P. burti 

 (Murphy 1981; Murphy and Chittenden footnote 

 7), and in Centropristis philadelphica ignoring its 

 hermaphroditism (Ross and Chittenden 9 ). Our 

 findings support the suggestions that 1) ground- 

 fishes of the white and brown shrimp communities 

 in the Gulf have evolved a common pattern of 

 population dynamics characterized by small size, 

 early age at maturity, short life spans, high mor- 



9 Ross, J. L., and M. E. Chittenden, Jr. Unpubl. manu- 

 scr. Reproduction, movements, and population dynamics of the 

 rock sea bass, Centropristis philadelphica, in the northwestern 

 Gulf of Mexico. 50 p. North Carolina Division of Marine 

 Fisheries, North Carolina Marine Resources Center, Manteo, NC 

 27954. 



tality rates, and rapid turnover of biomass (Chit- 

 tenden and McEachran 1976; Chittenden 1977), 

 and 2) more or less permanent spawning or post- 

 spawning emigration may occur from the north- 

 western Gulf to the north central area as fish ap- 

 proach age I (Murphy and Chittenden footnote 7). 

 Because typical maximum life spans may be closer 

 to 2-3 yr than 1-2 yr, these fishes may be a little 

 more sensitive to growth overfishing than Chit- 

 tenden's (1977) simulations, based on a 2 yr life 

 span, suggest for M. undulatus. 



ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 



We would like to thank R. Baker, M. Burton, 

 T Crawford, D. DeVries, V Fay, P. Geoghegan, 

 R. Grobe, S. Harding, M. Murphy, J. Pavela, M. 

 Rockett, J. Ross, P. Shlossman, B. Slingerland, H. 

 Yette, and Captains H. Forrester, M. Forrester, R. 

 Forrester, R Smirch, and A. Smircic for assistance 

 in field collections and data recording. R. Darnell, 

 J. McEachran, and K. Strawn reviewed the man- 

 uscript. B. Rohr made it possible to use data from 

 the NMFS groundfish survey 120. R. Case, M. 

 Cuenco, and J. Cummings wrote and assisted with 

 computer programs. Financial support was pro- 

 vided by the Texas Agricultural Experiment Sta- 

 tion; by the Strategic Petroleum Reserve Program, 

 Department of Energy; and by the Texas A&M 

 University Sea Grant College Program, supported 

 by the NOAA Office of Sea Grant, Department of 

 Commerce. 



LITERATURE CITED 



ALVERSON, D. L.. AND M. J. CARNEY. 



1975. A graphic review of the growth and decay of popula- 

 tion cohorts. J. Cons. Int. Explor. Mer 36:133-143. 

 BAGENAL, T. B. 



1957. The breeding and fecundity of the long rough dab 

 Hippoglossoides platessoides (Fabr. > and the associated 

 cycle in condition. J. Mar. Biol. Assoc. U.K. 36:339- 

 375. 

 BAGENAL. T. B., AND E. BRAUM. 



1971. Eggs and early life history. 2d ed. In W. E. Ricker 

 (editor), Methods for assessment of fish production in 

 fresh waters, p. 166-198. IBP (Int. Biol. Programme) 

 Handb. 3. 

 BEHRE. E. H. 



1950. Annotated list of the fauna of the Grand Isle Region, 

 1928-46. Occas. Pap. Mar. Lab.. La. State Univ. 6:1-66. 

 BEVERTON. R. J. H.. AND S. J. HOLT. 



1957. On the dynamics of exploited fish populations. 

 Fish. Invest. Minist. Agric, Fish. Food (G.B.i. Ser. II. 

 19:1-533. 



BR1GGS. J. C. 



1958. A list of Florida fishes and their distribution. Bull. 

 Fla. St. Mus. 2:223-318. 



361 



