Age and growth estimates of the dominant fish species were determined 

 by scale analysis, and by reference to length frequency histograms. 

 A total of 31 species were taken during the study, five of which 

 constituted approximately 70 percent of the biomass. These five species 

 were Mugil cephalus , Lagodon rhomboides . Leiostomus xanthurus , 

 Anchoa mitchilli , and Menidia beryl lina . 



Fish production as used in this paper was defined as the weight 

 increase of the fish per unit time while the fish were in the study 

 area. The monthly weight increases for all of the individuals collected 

 during each month were totaled and placed on a per acre basis. Primary 

 gross plant production was measured by the diurnal oxygen method with 

 oxygen samples taken every three hours over a 24-hour period. 



Biomass estimates of fish and larger invertebrates ranged from a 

 summer maximum of 337 pounds per acre (37.8 g/m^) to a winter minimum 

 of 18 pounds per acre (2.0 g/m^). The annual fish production estimate 

 was 137 pounds per acre (15,4 g/m^ dry weight) as compared with an 

 annual gross primary plant production estimate of 4177 g/m^/yr expressed 

 as oxygen. The seasonal migration and growth of fish stocks are in 

 phase with the primary production of food. (A. A. -modified) 



Keywords: fish production, photosynthesis, biomass, Texas 



IV-D-3 



Gunter, G. 1950. Distributions and abundance of fishes on the Aransas 

 National Wildlife Refuge, with life history notes. Publications of 

 the Institute of Marine Science, University of Texas 1:89-101. 



This paper reports findings of a study on the fish fauna of the marginal 

 ponds and salt flats of the Aransas National Wildlife Refuge on the 

 Texas coast. Life histories for ten fish species are provided. 



The family Cyprinodontidae made up 28.5 percent of the fishes caught 

 on the bay shore, 67 percent of those taken in salt flat ponds, and 

 79,3 percent of those taken in the freshwater ponds. When all pond 

 stations on the Refuge are considered, the Cyprinodontidae made up 

 74.9 percent of the catch. 



In the small pond environment where they are subjected to great 

 extremes of heat, cold, salinity and probably lack of oxygen, the 

 Cyprinodontidae are the most common fish. The ability of this group, 

 known as killifishes, to withstand adverse environmental conditions 

 is well-known. 



As the salinity gradient declines from the open sea to the river 

 mouths, the number of species of fishes decline. The data pre- 

 sented indicate that from the bay shores to the freshwater ponds 



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