254 
Fishery Bulletin 95(2), 1997 
Distribution and abundance were considerably dif- 
ferent in the western Gulf than in the eastern. Lar- 
val C. pauciradiatus were found at few stations (ex- 
cept in 1984), and generally in smaller numbers. They 
tended to be found around the edge of 
rings (warm and cold) when present. 
The number of stations occupied in the 
western Gulf varied considerably from 
year to year and created difficulties for 
evaluating the available data and for 
constructing a meaningful interpreta- 
tion of the physical oceanography. Both 
interannual and east-west differences, 
however, were evident. In 1983, C. 
pauciradiatus was abundant in large 
numbers at 36 stations in the eastern 
Gulf of Mexico but were present in only 
five stations west of 90°W. The follow- 
ing year they were taken at only 9 sta- 
tions in the eastern Gulf but were found 
at 17 stations throughout the western 
Gulf, although in fewer numbers. They 
were found infrequently in the follow- 
ing years. 
Total larvae (number under 10 m 2 ) 
and plankton displacement volumes 
showed similar trends in abundance. 
Larval abundance and plankton dis- 
placement volumes were generally high- 
est inshore and along the 100-m curve. 
However, at stations along the edge of 
the Loop Current and around the cold 
core rings, numbers of larvae and plank- 
ton were often equal to and sometimes 
exceeded values at the inshore stations. 
Transects 
Measurements at each station and sat- 
ellite sea-surface temperatures indicate 
that in 1987, transects I, II, III, V, VI, 
and VII crossed surface fronts (Figs. 12 
and 13), as did the only transect in 1988 
(Fig. 14). Transect I crossed a warm fila- 
ment extending north from the eastern 
edge of the Loop. Transect II was south 
of the origin of the warm filament. 
Transect III was made in a north-south 
direction, and transect V was the only 
transect to cross a cold-core cyclonic 
ring. Transect VI was on the cool side of 
the front and is discussed in detail by 
Richards et al. (1989). Transect VII be- 
gan on the cool side of the Loop Current 
along longitude 87°W and crossed south 
into the northern edge of the Loop. Sea- 
surface temperatures increased from 
