both replicated 333-|im samples from each bongo tow were processed. Since 1983, only one of the two 

 bongo sampler replicates collected in the Niantic River was processed in the laboratory and the develop- 

 mental stage of each measured larva recorded. The five stages were defmed as: 



Stage 1, The yoUc sac was present or the eyes were not pigmented (yolk-sac larvae) 



Stage 2. The eyes were pigmented, no yolk sac was present, and no fm ray development 



Stage 3. Fin rays were present, but the left eye had not migrated to the mid-line 



Stage 4. The left eye had reached the mid-line, but juvenile characteristics were not present 



Stage 5. Transformation to juvenile was complete and intense pigmentation was present near the 

 caudal fin base 



Because few Stage 5 larvae were collected, their abundance and distribution were not examined. 



Table 4. Summary of mesh size and laboratory processing of larval winter flounder 



samples. 



Sampling mesh Sample No. larvae 



Year size ( nm) splitting measured 



1974-76 333,505 



1977 333 



1978-83 333 



1984-85 202,333 



larval data analyses were based on standardized densities per 500 m of water sampled. Weekly mean 

 densities were used because of varying sampling frequencies. For comparisons of data in the 1981-85 

 period, daylight samples during 1981-83 from the last week of April through the end of the season were 



19 



