Table 14, Distribution of ichthyoplankton in the Apalachicold estuary as 

 indicated by the presence of eggs and larvae. Dotted lines indicate 

 sparse breeding activity. Solid lines indicate widespread and/or inten- 

 sive breeding as indicated by large numbers of eggs or larvae. Data are 

 taken from Blanchet (1978), 



Month 



Species 



N D 



M A 



M 



N D 



Brevoorita sp. 



Harenqula jaguana 

 Anchoa mitchili 

 Anchoa hepsetus 



Gobiesox strumosus . 



Atherinidae 



Syngnathus s co ve 1 1 i .. . . 

 Syngnathus louisianae 

 Chloroscombrus chrysura 

 Lagodon rhomboides 

 Bairdiella chrysura 

 Cynoscion arenarius 

 Cynoscion nebulosu? 

 Leiostomus xanthurus 

 MenticirTWus sp. 

 Micropogonias undulatus 



Poqonias chromis 

 Sciaenop's ocellata .. 

 Hypleuroc"hilus geminatus 

 Hypsoblennius hentzi 

 Gobiosoma sp. 

 Prionotus sp. .... 

 Trinectes maculatus 



(Atherinidae), skilletfish ( Gobiesox 

 strumosus ), gobies ( Gobiosoma spp. ), aruT 

 various warm-season spawners. Winter to 

 early spring types are dominated by 

 Atlantic croaker ( Micropogonias 

 undulatus ), spot ( Leiostomus xanthurus ), 

 and Gulf menhaden ( BrevoorTTa patronus ) . 

 Various other sciaenid larvae are taken, 

 including red drum ( Sciaenops ocellatus ), 

 southern kinqfis"h CMenticirrhus 

 americanus ), and the sand seatrout 

 ( Cynosci"on" arenarius ). The abundance of 

 total larvae is highest in western 

 portions of Apalachicola Bay, largely 

 because of the high numbers of Anchoa 

 mitchil li . 



Eggs of most species (except 

 anchovies) are generally found offshore, 

 indicating that few species actually spawn 

 within the estuary. The developinq stages 



of fishes usually appear within the bay 

 system at different times of the year. 

 Areas in the estuary away from the passes 

 are characterized by the presence of 

 species that soawn within the hay 

 (anchovies, atherinids, blennies and 

 gobies). Relatively large numbers of goby 

 larvae are found at West Pass. 



With the exception of the gulf 

 oipefish ( Syngnathus scovell i ), which 

 appears to breed throughout the year, most 

 species have specific breeding seasons 

 extending from one to several months. 

 Anchovies have an extended breeding season 

 although they are considered warm-season 

 spawners. Two peaks in total larval 

 abundance (April-May and July-September) 

 occur (Table IB). Larval abundance and 

 species richness are higher during spring 

 months, however. Peak numbers of 



47 



