Distribution and abundance of pleuronectiformes larvae off southeastern Brazil.

The objective of this study was the description of the composition, abundance and density in horizontal and vertical distribution of Pleuronectiformes larvae on the southeastern Brazilian continental shelf. The samples were collected with bongo nets and a Multi Plankton Sampler (MPS), both in summer and winter 2002. A total of 352 flatfishes larvae were collected in summer and 343 in winter, representing three families and a total of 13 taxa: Paralichthyidae (Citharichthys cornutus, C. spilopterus, Citharichthys sp., Cyclopsetta chittendeni, Syacium spp., Etropus spp. and Paralichthys spp.), Bothidae (Bothus ocellatus and Monolene antillarum) and Cynoglossidae (Symphurus trewavasae, S. jenynsi, S. plagusia and S. ginsburgi). The most abundant taxa were Etropus spp., Syacium spp. and Bothus ocellatus. Etropus spp. occurred mainly as far out as the 200 m isobath and Syacium spp. from 100 m. B. ocellatus was present mainly in the oceanic zone between Ubatuba and Rio de Janeiro as from the 200 m isobath. The greatest average densities of these species occurred in the strata from 0 to 20 m depth in summer and between 20 and 40 m in Winter.Padrões de distribuição horizontal e vertical e abundância de larvas de peixes de Phosichthyidae foram examinados a partir de arrastos oblíquos e estratificados em águas do Sudeste Brasileiro, entre cabo de São Tomé (41°W.; 22°S.) e a ilha de São Sebastião (45°W.; 24°S.). A amostragem foi realizada durante dois cruzeiros (Janeiro/2002 - verão; Agosto/2002 - inverno). Foi coletado um total de 538 larvas de Phosichthyidae durante o verão e 158 no inverno. Três espécies, Pollichthys mauli, Vinciguerria nimbaria e Ichthyioccoccus sp. ocorreram na área, mas Ichthyioccoccus sp. foi\ud extremamente rara representada somente por uma larva, capturada na região oceânica durante o verão. Geograficamente, as larvas estiveram concentradas na região oceânica e verticalmente entre a superfície e 80 m de profundidade nos cruzeiros de verão e inverno. As larvas foram mais abundantes durante a noite, apresentando uma migração vertical diária na coluna d’água. Os resultados sugerem um importante papel dos meandramentos e vórtices da Corrente do Brasil no transporte e padrões de distribuição das larvas dos Phosichthyidae nas áreas oceânica e nerítica do sudeste brasileiro

Patterns in larval fish assemblages under the influence of the Brazilcurrent

The present work investigates the composition larval fish assemblages in the area under the (BC). Ichthyoplankton was sampled during two oceano. Graphic cruises (November–December/1997 – spring; May/2001 – autumn) with. Seasonal variation and a coastal-ocean pattern in the distribution fish was observed and was\ud Influenced by the dynamics of the water masses, Coastal Water (CW),Tropical Water(TW)and South Atlantic (SACW), the last two of which were transported by the BC., the shelf assemblage influenced by the dynamics of the water masses, Coastal Water(CW), (TW) and SouthAtlantic Central Water (SACW), the last .During spring, the shelf assemblage was dominated by larvae of small pelagic fishes, such as Sardinella brasiliensis, Engraulis anchoita and Trachurus lathami, and was associated with the enrichment of shallow water by the SACW upwelling. Inautumn, the abundance of coastal species larvae was reduced, and the shelf assemblage was dominated by Bregmaceros cantori. A transitional assemblage occurred ,and comprised mesopelagic and coastal species. In both seasons, the oceanic assemblage was dominated by the mesopelagic families, Myctophidae Sternopthychidae and Phosichthyidae.The between the northern, particularly in the shelf zone. This was especially the case during autumn when alatitudinal gradientin larval fish assemblages became more pronounced