large numbers of early stage zoeae occurred 

 20 miles offshore, and near the beach sta- 

 tions all stage zoeae and the megalops were 

 found in relatively equal numbers (fig. 3). The 

 20-mile offshore stations were the most pro- 

 ductive in the southern States, whereas in 

 North Carolina the beach stations were the 

 most productive. The reason for this difference 

 is not known, though it may be a salinity or 

 temperature combination or a current pattern. 

 In North Carolina waters most beach stations 

 were along the Outer Banks, separated from 

 the mainland by sounds, whereas to the south 

 the beach stations were adjacent to the main- 

 land with fresh-water drainage emptying di- 

 rectly into the ocean. 



Some differences were noted in comparing 



Callinecies larvae from Gill cruise collections 

 to C. sapidus larvae at known stages of de- 

 velopment (from the work of Costlow and 

 Bookout). In some Callinectes a minute seta 

 is present under the lateral spine onthetelson 

 at all stages of development, but this seta is 

 absent on C. sapidus. A few of the advanced 

 stage zoeae had slightly longer setae and 

 longer exopodites on their antenna than 



C. sapidus. In others the lateral spines on the 

 abdomen were slightly longer on the third 

 segment from the telson, and the dorsal spine 

 was straighter and longer than found on 



C. sapidus. In a few, the exopodite of the 

 antenna varied in position from that of 

 C. sapidus. In others 10 setae were present 

 on the second maxilliped of the fourth stage 

 zoeae instead of 9 for C. sapidus; a ninth spine 

 on the inner margin of the telson on fifth 

 stage zoeae instead of appearing on sixth 

 stage C. sapidus zoeae; thoracic appendages 

 extending below the carapace in sixth stage 

 zoeae instead of seventh stage C. sapidus; 

 and no setae on the pleopods in eighth stage 

 zoeae as in C. sapidus. These inconsistencies 

 may identify the presence of more than one 



Callinectes species and may be morphological 

 features which can be used for taxonomic 

 separation. 



LITERATURE CITED 



ANDERSON, WILLIAM W., and JACK W. 

 GEHRINGER. 

 1957a. Physical oceanographic, biological, 

 and chemical data. South Atlantic coast 

 of the United States, Theodore A. Gill 

 cruise 3, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Serv- 

 ice, Special Scientific Report — 

 Fisheries No. 210, 208 p. 



1957b. Physical oceanographic, biological, 

 and chemical data. South Atlantic 

 coast of the United States, M/V 

 Theodore N. Gill cruise 4. U.S. Fish 

 and Wildlife Service, Special Scientific 

 Report— Fisheries No, 234, 192 p. 



1958a. Physical oceanographic, biological, 

 and chemical data. South Atlantic 

 coast of the United States, M/V 

 Theodore N. Gill cruise 5. U.S. Fish 

 and Wildlife Service, Special Scientific 

 Report--Fisheries No. 248, 220 p. 



1958b. Physical oceanographic, biological, 

 and chemical data. South Atlantic 

 coast of the United States, M/V 

 Theodore N. Gill cruise 6. U.S. Fish 

 and Wildlife Service, Special Scientific 

 Report — Fisheries No. 265, 99 p. 



1959a. Physical oceanographic, biological, 

 and chemical data. South Atlantic 

 coast of the United States, M/V 

 Theodore N. Gill cruise 7. U.S. Fish 

 and Wildlife Service, Special Scientific 

 Report— Fisheries No. 278, 277 p. 



1959b. Physical oceanographic, biological, 

 and chemical data. South Atlantic 

 coast of the United States, M/V 

 Theodore'N. Gill cruise 8, U.S, Fish 

 and Wildlife Service, Special Scientific 

 Report--Fisheries No. 303, 227 p. 



13 



