Abstract
A field study of the chaetognaths of lower Narragansett Bay was conducted from March 1975 through May 1976.Sagitta elegans Verrill 1873 was the predominant species, present in all months except August.S. elegans was most abundant in April and May in both 1975 and 1976. Maximum densities exceeded 100 m−3 in May 1976. It appeared thatS. elegans was replenished in Narragansett Bay by influxes of chaetognaths from Rhode Island Sound. This species was restricted to the sound when bay temperatures exceeded 15 °C. In the bay, maturing chaetognaths were found deeper in the water column than juveniles. This phenomenon may have limited the frequency of older animals in bay plankton samples by concentrating them extremely close to the bottom, out of the reach of conventional plankton nets. The presence of chaetognath eggs in samples taken in Rhode Island Sound, and their absence from bay samples, indicated that breeding took place primarily offshore. Size-frequency analysis showed that peak breeding activity occurred in January, April, and July.
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Based in part on a thesis submitted to the Graduate School of Oceanography, University of Rhode Island in partial fulfillment of the requirements of the M.S. degree in Oceanography. Parts of this research were supported by a graduate assistantship awarded to the author by the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations.
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Sweatt, A.J. Chaetognaths in lower Narragansett Bay. Estuaries 3, 106–110 (1980). https://doi.org/10.2307/1351554
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.2307/1351554