PLANKTON OF THE WOODS HOLE REGION 
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1895 
1896 
1897 
1898 
1899 
1900 
1901 
1902 
1903 
1904 
1905 
1906 
Fig. 57.- 
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Hippolyte zostericola was observed first in collections taken in the second week 
of July, 1922. Earlier records show that the young may occur at any time after 
July 1. The season is much more extended than that of either Crago or Palse- 
monetes, for very young specimens are often abundant throughout October. Scat- 
tering older larvae were taken in November, the last appearing on November 18. 
Figure 55 shows the distribution of tliis species, • • • • • 
which reached its maximum in September, 1922. 
In 1923 four early larvse were taken on July 26. 
One late larval stage (4 mm.) appeared on Decem- 
ber 13 and one on December 17. 
Only three adults, including the type speci- 
men, of the rare species Naushonia crangonoides 
have been found. Two of these were taken on 
the island of Naushon and one on the smaller of 
the Weepecket Islands. The distribution is much 
broader than has been supposed, however, because 
numerous larvse appeared in surface collections 
from Katama Bay on the seaward side of Marthas 
Vineyard. Although the larval forms are never 
exceedingly abundant in the surface collections of 
Great Harbor, they occurred regularly in small 
numbers in almost every tow taken during the 
breeding season. The first specimens appeared 
on July 8, and the last were taken on September 
19, 1922. The greatest numbers were found on 
July 24, although the average abundance was 
higher around August 1 (fig. 55). Figure 56 
shows the distribution in 1923. 
In spite of the fact that Homarm americanus 
breeds in great abundance in all the deeper waters 
of the region, larval forms are rarely taken in the 
plankton. During the summer of 1922 none were 
found in Great Harbor, although a single speci- 
men appeared in surface collections from Vineyard 
Sound on July 24. As this larva was in rather a 
late stage, no doubt it had been clinging to the 
floating weeds, which were abundant in the net. 
The few captures of past years (fig. 57) were, with 
one exception, made during June and July. This 
appears to be the normal maximum season for the species in this region. A 
specimen taken on September 12, 1902, probably resulted from heavy winds, 
which were prevalent that year. On June 26, 1923, one was found after a hard 
southwest wind. A natural conclusion in the matter is that the larval lobsters 
under normal conditions do not form a part of the surface plankton but remain 
bbBi 
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9 
Occurrence of larval forms of Homarus 
americanus in surface collections of successive 
years, 1893 to 1907 
