Abstract

ESCARRIA, Eugenia; BELTRAN-LEON, Beatriz S  and  GIRALDO, Alan. Surface ichthyoplankton in the Pacific Ocean off Colombia (September 2003). Investig. mar. [online]. 2006, vol.34, n.2, pp. 169-173. ISSN 0717-7178.  doi: 10.4067/S0717-71782006000200016.

We show the results of taxonomic and ecological analyses carried out on ichthyoplankton caught in 23 surface tows during the PACIFICO XXXVIII-ERFEN XXXVI oceanographic research campaign in the Colombian Pacific Ocean. Larvae of 19 fish species belonging to 18 families were identified. Most of the fish larvae were commercial value species. The most abundant family was Photichthyidae (179 larvae·1000 m^-3), followed by Hemiramphidae with 106 larvae·1000 m^-3. The spatial distribution and abundance of fish larvae and eggs were determined using dispersion maps (graphic analysis). Fish larvae abundances were probably underestimated due to sampling limitations (hour, type of net, and surface towing). However, larval abundances of Vinciguerria lucetia (Family Photichthydae: 112 larvae·1000 m^-3), Cetengraulis mysticetus (Family Engraulidae: 104 larvae·1000 m^-3), Hyporhamphus sp. (Family Hemiramphidae: 73 larvae·1000 m^-3), and Oxyporhamphus sp. (Family Hemiramphidae: 33 larvae·1000 m^-3) were outstanding

Keywords : Ichthyoplankton; fish eggs; fish larvae; Colombia; Pacific Ocean.