270 



Fishery Bulletin 92(2). 1994 



• larvae (6) = 123 



• larvae (N) - 478 



GEAR TYPE Hi BONGO tXS NtuSTON 



25 27 26 29 30 31 32 



Temperature (°C) 



12 IS 16 17 19 20 23 24 25 26 27 2B 29 X 31 32 33 34 



Salinity (ppt) 



Depth (m) 



Figure 5 



Summary of positive catch station hydrographic data for larval Atlantic spadefish (Chaetodipterus faber) from 

 the northern Gulf of Mexico. Percent catch is sum of larvae by interval and gear divided by total number of At- 

 lantic spadefish larvae collected overall. Discrepancies in number of larvae by month among parameters are the 

 result of missing hydrographic data. 



Table 4 



Summary of hydrographic data by month for Atlantic spadefish [Chaetodipterus faber) larvae from the northern 

 Gulf of Mexico. Data are from the surface and for positive catch bongo and neuston net stations only. Station 

 hydrographic data are multiplied by total number of larvae collected at each station to obtain monthly mean 

 and median values.' W is the number of larvae used to obtain mean and median values. Discrepancies in W 

 by month among parameters resulted from missing hydrographic data. 



This method gives weight to distribution of larvae rather than distribution of stations. 



they are largely covered by integument. The 

 supraoccipital crest was resorbed by about 10.0-10.5 

 mm in Gulf larvae but still present on a 11.5-mm 

 specimen from the U. S. Atlantic coast (Hildebrand 

 and Cable, 1938). 



The identity of Ryder's (1887) yolk-sac Atlantic 

 spadefish larvae is uncertain (Johnson, 1978). 

 Ryder's 3.5-mm and 4.0-mm larvae lack a supra- 



occipital crest and preopercular spines, both of 

 which Hildebrand and Cable (1938) and we found 

 by 2.5 mm in Atlantic spadefish larvae. Ryder's 

 4.0-mm larva also has an oil globule in the yolk sac 

 and the gut does not have the single, tightly coiled 

 loop we found in preflexion Atlantic spadefish. Nei- 

 ther Hildebrand and Cable (1938) nor we found an 

 oil globule in Atlantic spadefish larvae of 2.0 mm or 



