Ichthyoplankton distribution and abundance off southeastern and southern Brazil

• Autor(a) principal: Freitas,Débora Martins de
• Data de Publicação: 2004
• Outros Autores: Muelbert,José Henrique
• Tipo de documento: Artigo
• Idioma: eng
• Título da fonte: Brazilian Archives of Biology and Technology
• Texto Completo: http://old.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1516-89132004000400014
• topic: Ichthyoplankton; Southern Brazilian Continental Shelf; abundance; distribution

This study describes the distribution of fish eggs and larvae along the southeastern and southern Brazilian coast. Plankton samples were collected at 85 stations using a Bongo net, and water salinity and temperature were profiled with a CTD. Results showed that fish eggs and larvae, and zooplankton biovolume were distributed in coastal waters with mean temperature of 23&#186C and salinity between 33 and 34. The largest egg abundance occurred along Iguape (24&#186'S) with a partial overlap with zooplankton biovolume and fish larvae were most abundant near shore close to Santos (24&#186S). These protected coastal waters presented a surface layer with lower salinity and higher temperatures, while the bottom layer had cooler water. Ichthyoplankton abundance was low off Cabo Frio (22&#186'S), while a maximum in fish eggs occurred around Cabo Santa Marta Grande (28&#186S).