Volume 55
Caracterización del Ictioplancton a través del Canal de la Mona con énfasis en Familias Arrecifales
Authors
Rojas Ortega, J.; García, J.R. Download PDF Open PDF in BrowserOther Information
Date: 2004
Pages: 348-361
Event: Proceedings of the Fifty Fifth Annual Gulf and Caribbean Fisheries Institute
City: Xel Ha
Country: Mexico
Abstract
The distribution pattem of fish larvae across a horizontal gradient from the insular shelf of Puerto Rico to the shelf of Mona Island was studied from samples collected during a three days cruise in October 2000. A total of 15 stations were sampled using a Tucker-trawl system fitted with three nets of 202 µm. A total of 4.246 fish larvae belonging to 70 taxonomic groups were identified. An increment of fish larvae abundance was obsetved in direction to both shelves, which was related to maximum chlorophyll-a concentrations. Reef fish larvae from pelagic eggs were more abundant in the oceanic stations at 13 and 26 km from the Puerto Rico shelf and decreased significantly at 39 km. Mean current across the Mona Channel was 10.08 cm/sec in a southwest direction. The most favorable area for larval enrichment by dispersion was the west side of the insular shelf of Puerto Rico, favoring self-recruitment.