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JUPITER I CANAVERAL I MATATCAS I BRUNSWICK I CHARLESTON I LONG BAY I WILMINGTON I CAPE HATTERAS 

 VERO PONCE DE LEON JACKSONVILLE SAVANNAH CAPE ROMAIN CAPE FEAR CAPE LOOKOLT 



SECTIONS 



Fi^iure '2.--Relative abundance of Cullincitrs larvae (combined stages) by area collected by 

 tlicodorc N. cm cruises. South Atlantic coast of the United States, 1953-54. 



from 19.7° to 29.2° C. in Georgia waters, and 

 from 22.0° to 28.2° C. in South Carolina 

 waters (table 4 and fig. 5). The minimum- 

 maximum salinity, when the G'/// cruise col- 

 lections were taken, was 33.4-36.0 /oo. In 

 general, peak spawning occurred in water 

 27° to 29" C. 



Peak numbers of first stage larvae appeared 

 in April, June, July, and November in Florida 

 waters; July, August, and September in Georgia 

 waters; and May, July, August, and September 

 in South Carolina and North Carolina waters. 

 This occurrence of early stage larvae by 

 month, however, may only reflect the time at 

 which tows were made. 



Costlow and Bookout (1959) reported that 

 mortality was highest during the first zoeal 

 stages in all temperature-salinity combina- 

 tions. Once the second molt had been com- 



pleted, however, some of the larvae lived to 

 metamorphose to the crab. In the (iill cruise 

 material, the large numbers of early stage 

 larvae indicate a similar mortality under 

 natural conditions for early stage zoeae. Also, 

 when several third and fourth stage zoeae were 

 present, advance stage zoeae were usually 

 found in the same collection. 



Whether most spawning occurs near the 

 beaches and zoeae develop offshore is un- 

 certain. The abundance and distribution on 

 the east-west line from the beaches to 60 or 

 more miles offshore followed the same pattern 

 at all stations in Florida, Georgia, and South 

 Carolina. Large numbers of first and second 

 stage zoeae occurred near the beaches, with 

 progression to advanced stage zoeae occur- 

 ring 20 and 40 miles offshore. Megalops were 

 usually in greater abundance offshore 40 or 

 more miles (fig. 4). In North Carolina waters 



