Diversity and distribution of early life stages of carangid fishes in the northwestern Mediterranean: responses to environmental drivers

Abstract

The diversity and distribution of the early stages of carangid fishes were investigated in relation to environmental conditions off the Catalan Coast (NW Mediterranean). Data were obtained during four oceanographic cruises conducted in spring–summer 2003 and 2004. A total of 4743 larvae from seven species and five genera were identified. Most were thermophilic species very abundant in the warm waters of the south and eastern Mediterranean. The presence of larvae and juveniles of Caranx crysos, Caranx rhonchus, Seriola dumerili and Trachinotus ovatus in the northwestern Mediterranean is reported for the first time. Except for Trachurus trachurus, which spawns in winter–spring, all species reproduce in spring–summer with a temporal succession in their spawning peaks. On average, the spatial patterns of different species (except T. trachurus) showed common features: a clear preference for spawning in coastal areas, high abundance of larvae in the south warmer zone in relation to the surface productive waters of Ebro river runoff and relatively high larval concentrations south of the thermal front and its associated anticyclonic eddy. The presence of larvae of thermophilic species of carangids in the northwestern Mediterranean indicates successful reproduction and establishment of these species in the cold part of the basin.

Influence of oceanographic conditions on abundance and distribution of post‐larval and juvenile carangid fishes in the northern Gulf of Mexico

“…Most of the carangid species examined here spawn in neritic coastal waters, where most previous surveys have focused sampling effort in shallow water <100 m deep (Espinosa‐Fuentes & Flores‐Coto, ; Katsuragawa & Ekau, ; Leak, ; Shaw & Drullinger, ). In contrast, samples in this study were collected far offshore in depths ranging from 500 to 3,000 m. Thus, the gear types used here and areas sampled most likely captured late stage larvae to early/late juveniles that were either passively entrained in circulation patterns of the expansive river plume (Grimes & Finucane, ; Johns et al., ) or actively engaging in ontogenetic migrations from nearshore to offshore habitats (da Costa, Albieri, & Araújo, ) or aggregating in the hydrodynamic nutrient rich and productive frontal regions (Ditty et al., ; Raya & Sabates, ).…”

“…Caranx hippos was also the only species that displayed contrasting relationships between abundance and SST and salinity between post‐larvae and juveniles. Additionally, the non‐overlapping spatial distributions and different shapes of the salinity response plot among species may suggest a temporal or spatial succession of spawning events to reduce inter‐species competition for resources (Raya & Sabates, ). For instance, S. setapinnis displayed a linear salinity response plot, whereas C. crysos and C. chrysurus were domed shaped and C. hippos was linear but negative.…”

“…Non-significant variables not plotted F I G U R E 9 Response plots for Chloroscombrus chrysos abundance in relation to sea surface temperature (SST), sea surface height anolomy (SSHA) and salinity determined from GAM models for fish collected using MOC and LMT. Nonsignificant variables not plotted either passively entrained in circulation patterns of the expansive river plume (Grimes & Finucane, 1991;Johns et al, 2014) or actively engaging in ontogenetic migrations from nearshore to offshore habitats (da Costa, Albieri, & Ara ujo, 2005) or aggregating in the hydrodynamic nutrient rich and productive frontal regions (Ditty et al, 2004;Raya & Sabates, 2015).…”

Ceratomyxa tunisiensis n. sp. (Myxosporea: Bivalvulida) from the Gallbladders of Two Carangid Fish Caught Off the Coast of Tunisia

“…The false scad, Caranx rhonchus Geoffroy Saint‐Hilaire, and Atlantic horse mackerel, Trachurus trachurus (L.) are among the most important carangid fishes from the Atlantic to the Mediterranean coasts (Raya and Sabates ; Sley et al. ).…”

“…The false scad, Caranx rhonchus Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, and Atlantic horse mackerel, Trachurus trachurus (L.) are among the most important carangid fishes from the Atlantic to the Mediterranean coasts (Raya and Sabates 2015;Sley et al 2015). In Tunisia, in particular, they are the most commercially important Carangid fish, especially in the southern region of the country (Sley et al 2012).…”