Spotted seatrout, continued 



the structure of estuarine communities (Lassuy 1983, 

 Killametal. 1992). 



Range 



Overall : The spotted seatrout is found in coastal waters 

 from Cape Cod, Massachusetts to Carmen Island in 

 the Bay of Campeche, Mexico. It is most abundant 

 from Florida to Texas (Fischer 1978, Lee et al. 1980, 

 Lassuy 1983, Mercer 1984, NOAA 1985). 



Within Study Area : The spotted seatrout is found from 

 Key West, Florida to the Rio Grande, Texas. Areas of 

 abundance occur around eastern Louisiana, south 

 Texas, Mississippi, Alabama, and along the west coast 

 of southern Florida (Tabb and Manning 1961, Hoese 

 and Moore 1 977, Lee et al. 1 980, Lassuy 1 983, Johnson 

 and Seaman 1986) (Table 5.35). 



Life Mode 



Eggs are pelagic (>30%o) or demersal (25%o) depend- 

 ing on salinity; initially, larvae are pelagic and become 

 demersal after 4 to 7 days. Juveniles and adults are 

 demersal, completing their entire life cycle in inshore 

 waters (Ditty and Shaw 1994). Large juveniles and 

 adults form small schools. This species possesses a 

 definite diel pattern of metabolic activity, with increased 

 activity occurring at night (Pearson 1929, Wagner 

 1973, Vetter 1977), 



Habitat 



Type : This species is estuarine-dependent, and it 

 completes its entire life cycle in inshore waters (Wagner 

 1 973). Seasonal abundance appears to be associated 

 with estuarine zones, with different estuarine habitats 

 utilized by different life history stages (Helser et al. 

 1993). Eggs are found from marine to estuarine 

 environments, are buoyant or demersal depending on 

 salinity, and are generally associated with grass beds 

 at or near barrier island passes. They are also found 

 in areas with fine to medium texture detritus devoid of 

 vegetation (Sabins and Truesdale 1974). Larvae are 

 demersal in deep channels with shell rubble, or in 

 bottom vegetation (Tabb 1966). Juveniles in Florida 

 have been reported from a water depth range of 0.5 to 

 2.2 m (Rutherford et al. 1 989a). Seagrass appears to 

 be a critical habitat for juveniles and adults, but back- 

 waters (bayous, tidal creeks, slow flowing rivers), 

 marshes, and other areas without extensive seagrass 

 beds can contain substantial numbers of juveniles as 

 well (Van Hoose 1987, McMichael and Peters 1989, 

 Killam et al. 1992). Juveniles and adults have been 

 found in the seagrasses Thalassia testudinum, 

 Syringodium filiforme, and Halodule wrightii, and abun- 

 dance and distribution of juveniles may be influenced 

 by biomass, shoot density, and species composition of 

 seagrass beds (Hettler 1989, Killam et al. 1992). The 

 preferred habitat in Louisiana is along relatively shal- 



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