Occurrence of Gobiidae larvae in a tropical Brazilian estuary, with particular emphasis on the use of size classes to categorize species guilds

Abstract

The structure and seasonal dynamics of larvae of the Gobiidae family in the Mucuri Estuary (Bahia, Brazil) were studied for nine consecutive years. Sampling was conducted at three stations in the lower estuary channel, between 2002 and 2010, in relation to season, day and night and tidal variations. A total of 5802 Gobiidae larvae, representing 15 taxa (12 species and three morphotypes), were collected in the Mucuri Estuary during this time. The highest mean ± s.d. density of fish larvae, 54·7 ± 79·8 larvae 100 m(-3), was recorded during the flood tide and night sampling. Ctenogobius boleosoma was the most abundant species (68%), being dominant in the rainy and dry seasons and had a long reproductive period. This species was classed as a marine estuarine-opportunist because it was observed at high frequencies and active larvae entering the estuary between 6·1 and 12·0 mm standard length (L(S)). Gobionellus oceanicus, second in abundance (12%), occurred only in later larval stages but did not use the estuary as a preferred location for spawning, being classed a marine estuarine dependent. Microgobius carri (11%) was represented in all L(S) classes and was resident in the estuary for spawning, remaining there throughout their life cycle. The other species were considered rare due to their low densities and could not be classified in any guild.

Structure and dynamics of Gobiidae larvae (Teleostei, Perciformes) in a tropical estuary: seasonal relationships with tidal cycles

“…This pattern has not been described before for Brazilian estuaries, generally dominated by Ctenogobius boleosoma (Coser et al, 2007;Marcolin et al, 2010;Gomes et al, 2014) or Microgobius meeki Evermann & Marsh, 1899 (Barletta-Bergan et al, 2002a).…”

“…In the Mucuri River estuary, in a similar study with the Gobiidae family, a higher number of species was identified, but over a larger sampling period (Gomes et al, 2014). It must be remembered that not all studies of fish fauna have used the same sampling method.…”

A review of estuarine fish research in South America: what has been achieved and what is the future for sustainability and conservation?

“…There have been studies of the population dynamics and diets of C. spixii and the southern kingcroaker Menticirrhus americanus (L. 1758) in the Caraguatatuba system (Turra et al ., ; Denadai et al ., ), detailed ichthyoplankton work in the Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro areas (Bonecker et al ., ; Castro et al ., ), further north, detailed studies of the food webs in the Paraibo do Sul Estuary (RJ) (Di Beneditto et al ., ; Kehrig et al ., ) and studies of the ichthyoplankton communities in the Baia de Vitoria Estuary (Espirito Santo) (Joyeux et al ., ) and in the Mucuri Estuary (Bahía) (Bonecker et al ., ), where Gomes et al . () also studied the structure and seasonal dynamics of larval Gobiidae for nine consecutive years.…”

Larval fish collected from sound‐scattering layers in an offshore tropical area

“…Apogonid larvae inhabit reefs of tropical and subtropical seas where they occur from the surface to depths of 300 m, depending on the species (Lara, ). Gobiidae larvae are found in a variety of freshwater and marine ecosystems, but are primarily associated with shallow and coral reef waters (Yeung & Ruple, ; Gomes et al ., ). Larvae of Bregmacerotidae are very common in ichthyoplankton studies, and can be found in neritic and oceanic waters (Hare et al ., ; Namiki et al ., ).…”