Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Eggs and early larvae of the bay anchovy,Anchoa mitchilli, and the weakfish,Cynoscion regalis, in lower Chesapeake Bay with notes on associated ichthyoplankton

  • Published:
Estuaries Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The seasonal abundance and spatial distribution of eggs and early larvae of the bay anchovy,Anchoa mitchilli, and the weakfish,Cynoscion regalis, were determined from plankton collections taken during 1971–1976 in the lower Chesapeake Bay. Eggs and larvae of the bay anchovy,Anchoa mitchilli, dominated the ichthyoplankton, making up 96% of the total eggs and 88% of all larvae taken. A comparison of egg and larval densities from the lower Chesapeake Bay to existing data from other East Coast estuaries suggested that Chesapeake Bay is a major center of spawning activity for this species.Anchoa mitchilli spawning commenced in May when mean water column temperatures approached 17°C and abruptly ceased after August. Eggs and early larvae presented a continuous distribution throughout the study area during these months. Eggs and larvae of several sciaenid species, especiallyC. regalis, ranked second in numerical abundance. Larval weakfish were consistently taken in late summer of each sampling year but peak abundance and distribution was observed in August 1971. Sciaenid eggs exhibited a distinct polyhaline distribution with greatest concentrations observed at the Chesapeake Bay entrance or along the Bay eastern margin. Analysis of sciaenid egg morphometry and larval occurrence suggested spawning activity of at least four species. Additional important species represented by eggs and/or larvae in the lower Chesapeake Bay wereHypsoblennius hentzi, Gobiosoma ginsburgi, Trinectes maculatus, Symphurus plagiusa andParalichthys dentatus with the remaining species occurring infrequently.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

Literature cited

  • Bensam, P. 1969. On the eggs and larval stages of the Malabar sole,Cynoglossus semifasciatus.Indian J. Fish. 12:90–98.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bryan, B. B. 1977. The ecology of the marine Cladocera of the lower Chesapeake Bay. Ph.D. Dissertation, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, 101 p.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bryan, B. B. 1979. The diurnal reproductive cycle ofEvadne tergestina Claus (Cladocera, Podonidae) in Chesapeake Bay.Crustaceana 36:229–236.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bryan, B. B., andG. C. Grant. 1974. The occurrence ofPodon intermedius (Crustacea, Cladocera) in Chesapeake Bay, a new distributional record.Chesapeake Sci. 15:120–121.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chao, L. N., andJ. A. Musick. 1977. Life history, feeding habits, and functional morphology of juvenile sciaenid fishes in the York River Estuary, Virginia.Fish. Bull. 75:657–702.

    Google Scholar 

  • Colton, J. B., andK. A. Honey. 1963. The eggs and larval stages of the butterfish,Poronotus triacanthus.Copeia 2:447–450.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dahlberg, M. D., andJ. C. Conyers. 1973. An ecological study ofGobiosoma bosci andG. ginsburgi (Pisces, Gobiidae) on the Georgia coast.Fish. Bull. 71:279–287.

    Google Scholar 

  • Davis, J. (ed.) 1974. The effects of Tropical Storm Agnes on the Chesapeake Bay estuarine system. Chesapeake Research Consortium, Inc., Publ. No. 54, 639 p.

  • Dovel, W. L. 1963. Larval development of the clingfish,Gobiesox strumosus, 4.0 to 12.0 mm TL.Chesapeake Sci. 4:161–166.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dovel, W. L. 1967. Fish eggs and larvae of the Magothy River, Maryland.Chesapeake Sci. 8:125–129.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dovel, W. L. 1971. Fish eggs and larvae of the upper Chesapeake Bay. Nat. Res. Inst. Univ. Maryland Spec. Rept. No.

  • Dovel, W., J. A. Mihursky, andA. J. McErlean. 1969. Life history aspects of the hogchoker,Tinectes maculatus, in the Patuxent River estuary, Maryland.Chesapeake Sci. 10:104–119.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fable, W. A., Jr.,T. D. Williams, andC. R. Arnold. 1978. Description of reared eggs and young larvae of the spotted seatroutCynoscion nebulosus.Fish. Bull. 76:65–71.

    Google Scholar 

  • Goy, J. W. 1976. Seasonal distribution and the retention of some decapod crustacean larvae within the Chesapeake Bay, Virginia. M.S. Thesis, Old Dominion Univ., Norfolk, Virginia.

    Google Scholar 

  • Grant, G. C. 1977. Seasonal distribution and abundance of the Chaetognatha in the lower Chesapeake Bay.Estuarine Coastal Mar. Sci. 5:809–824.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hardy, J. D., Jr., andR. K. Johnson. 1974. Descriptions of halfbeak larvae and juveniles from Chesapeake Bay (Pisces:Hemiramphidae).Chesapeake Sci. 15:241–246.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hildebrand, S. F. 1963. Family Engraulidae.In Fishes of the Western North Atlantic. Sears Found. Mar. Res., Mem. 1:152–249.

  • Hildebrand, S. F., and W. C. Schroeder. 1928. Fishes of Chesapeake Bay. U.S. Bur. Fish., Bull. 43, 366 p.

  • Jacobs, F. 1978. Zooplankton distribution, biomass, biochemical composition and seasonal community structure in lower Chesapeake Bay. Ph.D. Dissertation. Univ. of Virginia, Charlottesville, 105 p.

    Google Scholar 

  • Joseph, E. B. 1972. The status of sciaenid stocks of the middle Atlantic coast.Chesapeake Sci. 13:87–100.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Joseph, E. B., W. H. Massmann, andJ. J. Norcross. 1964. The pelagic eggs and early larval stages of the black drum from the Chesapeake Bay.Copeia 2:425–434.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lippsom, A. J., and R. L. Moran. 1974. Manual for identification of early developmental stages of fishes of the Potomac River estuary. Maryland Dept. Nat. Resources, Power Plant Siting Program, PPSP-MP-13, 282 p.

  • Mansueti, A. J., and J. D. Hardy, Jr. 1967. Development of fishes of the Chesapeake Bay region. An atlas of egg, larval and juvenile stages. Natural Resources Institute, Univ. of Maryland, 202 p.

  • Massman, W. H., E. C. Ladd, andH. N. McCutcheon. 1954. Postlarvae and young of menhaden (Brevoortia tyrannus) in brackish and fresh waters of Virginia.Copeia 1954:19–23.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Massman, W. H., J. J. Norcross, and E. B. Joseph. 1961. Fishes and fish larvae collected from Atlantic plankton cruises of R/VPathfinder, December 1959–December 1960. Virginia Fish. Lab. Spec. Sci. Rept. No. 26, 15 p.

  • Massman, W. H., E. B. Joseph, and J. J. Norcross. 1962. Fishes and fish larvae collected from Atlantic plankton cruises of R/VPathfinder, March 1961–March 1962. Virginia Inst. of Mar. Sci. Spec. Rept. No. 33, 20 p.

  • Massmann, W. H., J. J. Norcross, andE. B. Joseph. 1963. Distribution of larvae of the naked goby,Gobiosoma bosci, in the York River.Chesapeake Sci. 4:120–125.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McHugh, J. L. 1967. Estuarine nekton.In G. Lauff (ed.), Estuaries, Am. Assoc. Adv. Sci. Pub. No. 83: 581–620.

  • Merriner, J. V. 1976. Aspects of the reproductive biology of the weakfish,Cynoscion regalis (Sciaenidae) in North Carolina.Fish. Bull. 74:18–26.

    Google Scholar 

  • Musick, J. A. 1972. Fishes of Chesapeake Bay and the adjacent coastal plain.In M. L. Wass (ed.), A Checklist of the Biota of Lower Chesapeake Bay. Virginia Inst. Mar. Sci., Spec. Sci. Rept. No. 65:175–212.

  • Norcross, J. J., W. H. Massmann, andE. B. Joseph. 1961. Investigations of inner continental shelf waters of the lower Chesapeake Bay. Part II. Sand lance larvae,Ammodytes americanus.Chesapeake Sci. 2: 49–60.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Olney, J. E. 1978. Planktonic fish eggs and larvae of the lower Chesapeake Bay. MA Thesis, College of William and Mary, Williamsburg, Virginia, 124 p.

    Google Scholar 

  • Olney, J. E., andG. C. Grant. 1976. Early planktonic larvae of the blackcheek tonguefish,Symphurus plagiusa (Pisces:Cynoglossidae) in the lower Chesapeake Bay.Chersapeake Sci. 17:229–237.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pearson, J. C. 1941. The young of some marine fishes taken in lower Chesapeake Bay, Virginia, with special reference to the grey sea trout,Cynoscion regalis (Bloch).U.S. Fish Wildl. Serv. Fish. Bull. 50: 79–102.

    Google Scholar 

  • Perlmutter, A. 1939. A biological survey of the salt waters of Long Island, 1938. Section I. An ecological study of young fish and eggs identified from tow-net collections. Suppl. 28th Ann. Rept., New York Cons. Dept., Part II:11–71.

  • Richardson, S. L., andE. B. Joseph. 1973. Larvae and young of Western North Atlantic bothid flat-fishesEtropus microstomus andCitharichthys arctifrons in the Chesapeake Bight.Fish. Bull. 71:735–767.

    Google Scholar 

  • Richardson, S. L., andE. B. Joseph. 1975. Occurrence of larvae of the green goby,Microgobius thalassinus in the York River, Virginia.Chesapeake Sci. 16:215–218.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Richards, S. W. 1959. Oceanography of Long Island Sound. VI. Pelagic fish eggs and larvae.Bull. Bingham Oceanogr. Collect. 17:95–124.

    Google Scholar 

  • Runyan, S. 1961. Early development of the clingfish,Gobiesox strumosus, Cope.Cheapeake Sci. 2:113–141.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schauss, R. P., Jr. 1977. Seasonal occurrence of some larval and juvenile fishes in Lynnhaven Bay, VirginiaAm. Midl. Nat. 98:275–282.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wallace, D. H. 1940. Sexual development of the croaker,Micropogon undulatus, and the distribution of early stages in lower Chesapeake Bay.Trans. Am. Fish. Soc. 70:475–482.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wheatland, S. B. 1956. Oceanography of Long Island Sound, 1952–1954. VII. Pelagic fish eggs and larvae.Bull. Bingham Oceanogr. Collect. 15:234–314.

    Google Scholar 

  • Williams, G. C. 1968. Bathymetric distribution of planktonic fish eggs in Long Island Sound.Limnol. Oceanogr. 13:382–385.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Virginia Institute of Marine Science, 23062, Gloucester Point, Virginia

    John E. Olney

  2. College of William and Mary, 23062, Gloucester Point, Virginia

    John E. Olney

Authors
  1. John E. Olney
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Olney, J.E. Eggs and early larvae of the bay anchovy,Anchoa mitchilli, and the weakfish,Cynoscion regalis, in lower Chesapeake Bay with notes on associated ichthyoplankton. Estuaries 6, 20–35 (1983). https://doi.org/10.2307/1351803

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.2307/1351803

Keywords

Search

Navigation