Species composition and seasonal occurrence of fish larvae and juveniles in the Shimanto Estuary, Japan

Abstract

To clarify the characteristics of the larval and juvenile fish community in a Japanese estuary, monthly collections were conducted in the shallow waters of the Shimanto Estuary, Japan from July 1985 to June 1987. A total of 49 101 fishes of more than 100 species from 44 families were sampled over the 2‐year period. Numerically, Gerres equulus was most common, accounting for 20.02% of the total abundance. Rhyncopelates oxyrhynchus was ranked second, followed by Acanthopagrus latus, Acanthogobius flavimanus, Mugil cephalus cephalus, Parioglossus dotui, and Acanthopagrus schlegeli. Thus, fishes observed in the estuary were mostly marine species that spawn in the sea. The majority of these fish first appeared within the estuary at late postlarval and/or early juvenile stages. Based on their utilization of the shallow waters in the estuary, the majority of species could be categorized as residents. In the Shimanto Estuary, shallow waters are studded with shelters, especially eelgrass beds, which serve as important nursery grounds for coastal and euryhaline fishes.

A net design for estimating the vertical distribution of larval and juvenile fishes on a tidal mudflat

“…Tidal estuarine mudflats function as nursery grounds for many coastal and euryhaline fishes 1,2 . In such habitats, the seasonal occurrence and horizontal distribution of larval and juvenile fishes have been investigated comprehensively 2–6 .…”

“…Tidal estuarine mudflats function as nursery grounds for many coastal and euryhaline fishes 1,2 . In such habitats, the seasonal occurrence and horizontal distribution of larval and juvenile fishes have been investigated comprehensively 2–6 . However, their vertical distribution, which may influence the transportation of fish larvae and settlement and recruitment patterns, 5,6 has not been studied to the same extent because of sampling difficulties and the limitations of visual censuses in turbid waters.…”

“…1,2 In such habitats, the seasonal occurrence and horizontal distribution of larval and juvenile fishes have been investigated comprehensively. [2][3][4][5][6] However, their vertical distribution, which may influence the transportation of fish larvae and settlement and recruitment patterns, 5,6 has not been studied to the same extent because of sampling difficulties and the limitations of visual censuses in turbid waters. The aim of this study, therefore, was to develop equipment able to sample a narrow depth range, thereby enabling investigation of fine scale patterns of vertical distribution.…”

Occurrence and morphology of larvae and juveniles of six Luciogobius species from Aritsu Beach, Okinawa Island

“…The occurrence of newly hatched drifting larvae of L. pallidus in rivers (Iguchi and Mizuno 1990) and some larval and juvenile collections of Luciogobius spp. from bay waters, coasts, and estuaries (Kawabata 1993;Kanou et al 2000Kanou et al , 2002Arayama et al 2002;Fujita et al 2002;Suda et al 2002) have supported such views of their life history. The life histories of Luciogobius spp.…”

Seasonal Fluctuation of Meiobenthic Fauna Community at Keunso Tidal Flat in Taean, Korea

“…태적으로 매우 중요한 서식처이며 (Potter et al, 1983;Van der Veer et al, 1990;Santos and Nash, 1995;Nash and Santos 1998;Fujita et al, 2002), 높은 일차생산력으로 인하여 서식하고 있는 생 물들이 이용 가능한 먹이원이 풍부하다는 특징이 있다는 것도 밝 혀졌다 (Levinton, 1995). 더불어 우리나라 서해안에 넓게 형성되 어 있는 갯벌은 다양한 지리적, 퇴적학적, 해양 환경적 특징을 가 지고 있으며, 그에 따라 이에 적합한 다양한 생물들의 서식처 역할 을 하고 있다 (Woo et al, 2005).…”