NAFO posted on October 01, 2003 14:27
Shawna M. Powell, Richard L. Haedrich and John D. McEachran
Department of Biology, Memorial University of Newfoundland
St. John's, Newfoundland, A1B 5S7, Canada
Source - Journal of Northwest Atlantic Fishery Science, Volume 31:19-33
ISSN-0250-6408
Powell, S.M., Richard L. Haedrich and John D. McEachran. 2003. The Deep-sea Fish Fauna of the Northern Gulf of Mexico. J. Northw. Atl. Fish. Sci., 31: 19-33. https://doi.org/10.2960/J.v31.a2
Abstract
As a part of the Deep Gulf of Mexico Benthos (DGoMB) project, fishes were sampled in May and June 2000. Thirty-seven stations were occupied using a 40' semi-balloon otter trawl along transects which ran from shallow to deep water and from northern Florida to off southern Texas. A total of 1 065 individuals in 119 demersal fish species were taken. Cluster analyses showed the fish fauna is zoned with depth. Assemblages were identified on the shelf (188-216 m), upper slope (315-785 m), mid-slope (686-1 369 m), and in a deep zone (1533-3 075 m). The most abundant species found on the shelf was the small caproid Antigonia capros. On the upper slope Caelorinchus caribbaeus and Steindachneria argentea, from Macrouridae and Steindachneriidae respectively, were dominant. On the mid-slope the fauna is dominated by Macrouridae: Nezumia cyrano and Coryphaenoides zaniophorus. The deep zone is dominated by Ophidiidae: Dicrolene kanazawai and Acanthonus armatus. Species richness is highest on the upper slope (48 species) and decreases with depth; the deep zone has 32 species. Abundance, too, is greatest on the upper slope, especially in the Mississippi Trough and DeSoto Canyon, and declines greatly with depth. Data on fishes support the DGoMB hypothesis relating to depth zonation, refute the hypothesis relating to east-west abundance, but, because of limited samples, are inconclusive regarding fauna in and out of basins. There do not appear to be species of commercial interest in the deep demersal fish fauna.
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Language - English
Publisher - Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization (NAFO), Dartmouth, N.S., Canada
Publication Date - 2003
Publication Type - Journal Article
Descriptors - assemblages, continental slope, deep-sea fauna, zonation, demersal fish, diversity
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Citation:
Powell, S.M., Richard L. Haedrich and John D. McEachran. 2003. The Deep-sea Fish Fauna of the Northern Gulf of Mexico. J. Northw. Atl. Fish. Sci., 31: 19-33. https://doi.org/10.2960/J.v31.a2