biased toward capturing smaller, less mobile species. For example, 
sharks and rays are abundant in Tampa Bay, but are rarely sampled due to 
their mobility and size. Even mullet are probably undersampled, although 
they are one of the most abundant species in the bay. 
Tampa Bay is a nursery area for the larvae and juveniles of 79 
resident and migratory fish species. Most spawning occurs during the 
spring and early summer in either the nearby Gulf or the bay proper, 
usually in higher salinity areas. During and following these spawning 
periods, the larval and juvenile fish typically migrate into shallow, 
protected, low salinity nursery areas of the bay to feed and mature (Comp 
1985; Lewis et al. 1985). 
Only two species of marine reptiles are common in the bay, the 
diamondback terrapin ( Malaclemvs terrapin macrospilota ) and the mangrove 
water snake ( Nerodia fasciata compressicauda ). Both are common in 
localized areas, but have not been studied. Loggerhead turtles (Caretta 
caretta) are occasionally observed in the bay on the Gulf side of Egmont 
Key (Reynolds and Patton 1985). 
Table 4. The ten dominant fish species in Tampa Bay, listed in 
approximate order of abundance, with notation as to area of the 
bay where found (modified from Springer and Woodburn 1960; 
Finucane 1966; Comp 1985). 
MIDDLE 
COASTAL LOWER TAMPA BAY TAMPA BAY HILLSBOROUGH 
BEACHES medium to medium & MCKAY BAYS 
SPECIES high salinity high salinity salinity low salinity 
Tidewater silverside X 
Menidia peninsulae 
Bay anchovy 
Anchoa mitchilli 
Scaled sardine X 
Harenoula .iaguana 
Striped mullet 
Mugil ceohalus 
Pinfish 
Lagodon rhomboides 
Longnose killifish 
Fundulus similis 
Spot 
Leiostomus xanthurus 
X XX 
X XX 
X X 
X XX 
X XX 
X XX 
X XX 
101 
