Growth Variation, Settlement, and Spawning of Gray Snapper across a Latitudinal Gradient

Abstract

Newly recruited juvenile gray snapper Lutjanus griseus were collected each fall for two consecutive years (2000 and 2001) from sites in Florida and North Carolina. Spawning, settlement, and growth patterns were compared across sites based on otolith microstructure. Larval otolith growth trajectories were generally similar for larvae from different sites and years; however, the mean pelagic larval duration (PLD) was 1 d longer for fish from North Carolina than for fish from the more southern sites. As a result, fish were larger at settlement to North Carolina. Estimated juvenile growth rates ranged between 0.62 and 0.88 mm/d and differed across sites and years, growth being generally faster at the southern sites. Water temperature accounts for some of this variability; however, site‐specific differences in other factors probably contributed to some of the observed differences in growth. Back‐calculated spawning patterns showed a lunar association with the new and first‐quarter moons at all sites except for North Carolina. Settlement patterns were lunar cyclic as well: settlement pulsed during the third‐quarter and new moons at all sites, and in North Carolina an additional pulse associated with the full moon was present. Patterns of larval and juvenile growth coupled with recruitment dynamics across the latitudinal gradient are consistent with northward Gulf Stream transport of larvae from southern spawning sites.

Larval ecology of a suite of snappers (family: Lutjanidae) in the Straits of Florida, western Atlantic Ocean

“…Although slightly different, the new moon peak in Lutjanus griseus also agrees with previous studies of this species (Domeier et al 1996, Tzeng et al 2003, Denit & Sponaugle 2004. Most literature identifies some form of lunar periodicity in snapper spawning (but see Allman 1999), yet the specific patterns identified vary (reviewed in Thresher 1984, Grimes 1987, Tzeng et al 2003, Denit & Sponaugle 2004).…”

“…Although slightly different, the new moon peak in Lutjanus griseus also agrees with previous studies of this species (Domeier et al 1996, Tzeng et al 2003, Denit & Sponaugle 2004. Most literature identifies some form of lunar periodicity in snapper spawning (but see Allman 1999), yet the specific patterns identified vary (reviewed in Thresher 1984, Grimes 1987, Tzeng et al 2003, Denit & Sponaugle 2004). Direct observations of spawning are rare or absent for most snapper species (but see Carter & Perrine 1994, Heyman & Kjerfve 2008; thus, most lunar patterns have been identified through back-calculation of spawning dates from otolith analysis of juveniles and larvae.…”

“…Complete descriptions of larval ontogeny are available for only 6 of the 18 western Atlantic snapper species, and the few studies on lutjanid larvae have been descriptive in nature and/or used captive-bred larvae (Riley et al 1995, Clarke et al 1997, Drass et al 2000, or have examined otolith-based traits of late-stage larvae and juveniles to make inferences about pelagic larval life (Tzeng et al 2003, Denit & Sponaugle 2004. Studies directly examining the ELH of wild-caught larvae beyond coarse distributions at the genus level are largely lacking (but see Powles 1977, Houde et al 1979, Comyns et al 2003, due in large part to the difficulties involved in adequately sampling diffuse populations of larvae in the open ocean, and in identifying them to the species level (Leis 1987, Lindeman et al 2006.…”

Age and size compositions, habitats, growth and reproductive characteristics of a terapontid (Pelates octolineatus) in coastal waters

“…This evolutionary response, known as 'countergradient variation' (Conover and Present 1990), has been described for other species elsewhere in the world, e.g. Atlantic silversides Menidia menidia (Yamahira and Conover 2002), Atlantic halibut Hippoglossus hippoglossus (Jonassen et al 2000) and grey snapper Lutjanus griseus (Denit and Sponaugle 2004). This is often considered to reflect selection for characteristics that facilitate the rapid attainment by individuals of a large body size and thereby an increased chance of survival during their first winter (Levins 1969;Power and McKinley 1997;Jonassen et al 2000).…”

First record of the cubera snapper, Lutjanus cyanopterus (Actinopterygii: Perciformes: Lutjanidae), from the Azores (NE Atlantic) and possible extension range for the West Atlantic

“…A pelagic larval duration (PLD) of around 29 days has been estimated for L. cyanopterus based on larval otolith analysis (Victor et al 2009). Some variation in PLD estimates was reported for other lutjanid species, which may be related to water temperature and habitat availability (Zapata andHerrón 2002, Denit andSponaugle 2004). Assuming that cubera snapper larvae take longer to develop at lower temperatures and are able to delay settlement until suitable habitat is reached, larvae transported eastwards from the American coast during a period of strong Gulf Stream and Azores Current flows may have just had enough time to reach the Azores and settle.…”