Fish Larvae and Juveniles and their Seasonal Occurrence Changes in Uranouchi Bay, Japan

Abstract

To clarify the characteristics as a nursery of the larval and juvenile fishes in Uranouchi Bay, Tosa Bay, monthly collections were conducted with an aquatic lamp and a seine net along shore lines from June 2000 to May 2001. A total of 18,760 fishes of more than 112 species from 44 families by an aquatic lamp and 9,145 fishes of more than 57 species from 24 families along shore lines were collected. Number of species by both methods was more than 135 from 47 families collectively. Sardinella zunasi and Engraulis japonicus were numerically greater and accounting for 48% of the total abundance of aquatic lamp collections. The dominant species along shore lines were Plotosus lineatus, Gymnogobius castaneus and Gerres equulus, accounting for 64% of this total abundance. The highest abundance and number of species occurred in September, the least were in January (shore lines) and in February (aquatic lamp), respectively. In Uranouchi Bay, stenohaline rather than euryhaline fish larvae and juveniles were distributed unlike estuaries and surf zones of Tosa Bay. S. zunasi and E. japonicus utilized this bay as a nursery, furthermore, some blenniid larvae seem to be hatched and inhabit for short term.