Environmental Biology of Fishes

, Volume 39, Issue 1, pp 43–49 | Cite as

Additional observations of endobenthic behaviour in the early life history of Melanostigma atlanticum (Zoarcidae) in muddy bottom sediments of the Laurentian Trough, eastern Canada

  • Norman Silverberg
  • Luci Bossé
Article
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Accepted:

Synopsis

While adult Melanostigma atlanticum continue to be sporadically noted living within bottom sediments of the Laurentian Trough, the observation of late embryo/early juvenile stages has not previously been reported. The occurrence of 22 live specimens between 20–25 mm total length in the subsurface anoxic sediment in early May suggests that development of eggs and embryos may take place in such environments during the winter.

Key words

Burrowing fish Embryos Juveniles Reproduction Subsurface sediment Ontogenetic development Atlantic soft pout ‘Mollasse atlantique’ 
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Copyright information

© Kluwer Academic Publishers 1994

Authors and Affiliations

  • Norman Silverberg
    • 1
  • Luci Bossé
    • 1
  1. 1.Institut Maurice-Lamontagne, Ministère des Pêches et des OcéansMont-JohCanada

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