Reproductive biology and spatio-temporal distribution of Stellifer rastrifer, Stellifer naso and Macrodon ancylodon (Sciaenidae) in the Caeté estuary, northern Brazil

Abstract

six bimonthly. Stellifer rastrifer, Stellifer naso and Macrododon ancylodon presented the highest biomass out of eleven species of Sciaenidae caught. Minimum and mean length at first maturity were calculated and the main spawning periods determined. Changes in the spatio-temporal distribution of the three species were related to seasonal changes in estuarine salinity and spawning pulses. Larvae and juveniles of S. rastrifer, S. naso and M. ancylodon were found in the inner estuary while larger specimens were more abundant in the outer estuary with higher salinities. M. ancylodon spawned from October to February and rested from April to August whereas S. rastrifer and S. naso spawned throughout the year, though with two peaks, in October-December and June. R E S U M OO presente estudo caracteriza a distribuição espaço-temporal dos peixes com maior abundância dentre a família Sciaenidae no estuário do rio Caeté, litoral norte do Brasil. Estima-se o comprimento de inicio da maturação sexual, o comprimento médio da primeira maturação sexual e os períodos de desova. Para tal, durante os meses de outubro de 1996 a agosto de 1997, foram feitas 6 coletas bimestrais, através de arrastos de fundo. A partir de subamostras das espécies mais abundantes dentro das capturas, construíram-se distribuições de freqüência de comprimento total, que foram analisadas por período e local de coleta. De onze espécies de Sciaenidae coletadas, a maior contribuição em abundância de exemplares foi feita pelas espécies Stellifer rastrifer, Stellifer naso e Macrodon ancylodon. Determinou-se que a distribuição espacial das espécies no sistema, está relacionada com mudanças periódicas na salinidade dentro do estuário e a sua dinâmica de reprodução. Assim, os juvenis de S. rastrifer, S. naso e M. ancylodon distribuíram-se nas áreas mais internas do estuário e os adultos nas águas costeiras, com maiores teores de salinidade. Enquanto que M. ancylodon apresenta desovas periódicas durante outubro a fevereiro, S. rastrifer e S. naso apresentam desovas parceladas com dois picos mais intensos de outubro a dezembro e durante junho.

Spatio-temporal distribution of fish larvae in relation to ontogeny and water quality in the oligohaline zone of a North Brazilian estuary

“…This was the case of the sciaenid Stellifer rastrifer. According to Camargo & Isaac (2005) the adults' spawning ground is located in the lower estuary; yet, eggs and newly hatched larvae would not remain there but drift towards the upper estuary where salinity is much lower. Similar behaviour applies to Cynoscion acoupa (Barletta & Barletta-Bergan 2009), although the presence of their larvae in oligohaline waters like in Guajará Bay, is unusual.…”

Population biology of Stellifer rastrifer, S. brasiliensis and S. stellifer in Caraguatatuba Bay, northern coast of São Paulo, Brazil

“…It is to be expected that closely related species will show similar responses to environmental occupation and damage, thus allowing them to be used as similar indicators. The genus Stellifer is one of the most diverse genera of the family Sciaenidae in America (SASAKI, 1989), and often one or more of its species are among the most numerous members of fish communities, mainly in the tropics and subtropics (MENEZES; FIGUEIREDO, 1980;COELHO et al, 1985;FLORES-COTO et al, 2004;BARLETTA et al, 2005;CAMARGO;ISAAC, 2005;UPCHURCH;WENNER, 2008). In Brazil, sciaenids are found from shallow mangrove swamps (CHAVES; VENDEL, 1997;BARLETTA et al, 2003) to depths of over 20 m (VIANNA; ALMEIDA, 2005), and are often considered as permanent residents of estuaries.…”

“…In Brazil, sciaenids are found from shallow mangrove swamps (CHAVES; VENDEL, 1997;BARLETTA et al, 2003) to depths of over 20 m (VIANNA; ALMEIDA, 2005), and are often considered as permanent residents of estuaries. Some are classified as semi-anadromous fishes, i.e, those that spawn close to estuaries, into which eggs and larvae are carried by tides (CAMARGO; ISAAC, 2005;BONECKER et al, 2007).…”

“…(c.f. MENEZES, FIGUEIREDO, 1980), is rarely caught in numbers sufficient to permit this kind of research (BARLETTA-BERGAN et al, 2002;BARLETTA et al, 2003BARLETTA et al, , 2005BARLETTA-BERGAN, 2009;CAMARGO;ISAAC 2005;SCHWARZ et al, 2006). Stellifer rastrifer is found all along the Brazilian coast, in waters of from intermediate to high salinities and low to intermediate depths PAIVA-FILHO, 1990a;SANTOS et al, 2002;BARLETTA et al, 2005BARLETTA et al, , 2008 LOBÃO DE SOUZA 2006).…”

“…Despite the abundant evidence of their ecological value, studies assessing concomitantly the population parameters of two or more Stellifer species, which frequently coexist, are rare and usually deal with the basic characteristics of demersal fish assemblages as a whole (GIANINNI; PAIVA-FILHO 1990a;BARLETTA et al, 2003BARLETTA et al, , 2005CAMARGO;ISAAC 2005;FIGUEIREDO-FONSECA;LOBÃO DE SOUZA, 2006;SCHWARZ et al, 2006;SOUZA;CHAVES, 2007). Evaluations of weight-length relationships and condition factors are available for three species (COELHO et al, 1985(COELHO et al, , 1987BRAGA, 1986;PAIVA-FILHO, 1990b, 1995VENDEL, 1997;MOURA, 1998;FIGUEIREDO-FONSECA;LOBÃO DE SOUZA, 2006;BRANCO, 2002;FREIRE et al, 2009), although some discrepancies among species values may lead to misinterpretation.…”