4-53 



Anchoa spp. eggs and larvae (representing pooled Engraulidae, 



Anchoa spp., A. mitchilli, and A. hepsetus) were selected for detailed 



discussion because they comprised the most abundant taxon during the 



1974-1977 study period and because they have been historically dominant 



in the area (Tables 4-6, 4-7 and 4-8) . It is assumed that A. mitchilli 



is the predominant species, since the majority of ichthyoplankton and 



fisheries investigations conducted between Sandy Hook, New Jersey, and 



Long Island Sound have failed to collect any A. hepsetus (Warfel and 



Merriman, 1944; Merriman and Sclar, 1952; Wheatland, 1956; Richards, 



1959; Herman, 1963; Croker, 1965) . Bigelow and Schroeder (1953) noted 



* 

 that A. hepsetus is most common from Chesapeake Bay south . 



Cynoscion regalis and Pseudopleuronectes awericanus were 

 selected because they are important to recreational and commercial 

 fisheries in the study area. C. regalis spawns in Long Island Sound 

 (Warfel and Merriman, 1944; Wheatland, 1956; Richards, 1959), while 

 P. americanus spawns in estuaries (Pearcy, 1962) between Labrador and 

 Georgia (Leim and Scott, 1966) . Both species utilize New Haven Harbor 

 as a nursery area (Warfel and Merriman, 1944) . 



Labrid/Limarida and Urophycis/Enchelyopus/Peprilus egg types 

 were selected because they were relatively abundant and constitute the 

 reproductive products of species common to the area (see Section 11.0). 

 Labri d/Limanda eggs are morphologically difficult to distinguish (Wheat- 

 land, 1956; Merriman and Sclar, 1952) . This group is considered to be 

 virtually all Labrid eggs {Tautogolabrus adspersus and/or Tautoga 

 onitis) , since adults of both species are locally abundant while Limanda 

 ferruginea is relatively rare (see Section 11.0). L. ferruginea spawn- 

 ing appears to be concentrated offshore, since no eggs have been iden- 

 tified in several previous surveys of Long Island Sound (Wheatland, 

 1956; Richards, 1959; Herman, 1963) or Block Island Sound (Merriman and 



* 



Specimens of A. hepsetus have been collected in New Haven Harbor (see 



Section 11.00, in Long Island Sound near Shoreham (a single specimen) 

 by Zawacki and Briggs (1976) , and in the Mystic River, Connecticut 

 (Pearcy and Richards, 1962), while both eggs and adults have been 

 identified from collections near the Millstone Point Nuclear Gener- 

 ating Station (Northeast Utilities Service Company, 1976) . 



