Pelagic fish distribution and ontogenetic vertical migration in common mesopelagic species off Lützow-Holm Bay (Indian Ocean sector, Southern Ocean) during austral summer

• Published in: Polar biology Vol. 32; no. 10; pp. 1461 - 1472
• Main Authors: Moteki, Masato, Horimoto, Naho, Nagaiwa, Riou, Amakasu, Kazuo, Ishimaru, Takashi, Yamaguchi, Yukuya
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer-Verlag 01-10-2009; Springer; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Agnatha. Pisces; Animal and plant ecology; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Biological and medical sciences; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Ecology; Fish; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Larvae; Life Sciences; Marine biology; Marine ecology; Microbiology; Oceanography; Original Paper; Particular ecosystems; Plant Sciences; Salinity; Synecology; Vertebrates: general zoology, morphology, phylogeny, systematics, cytogenetics, geographical distribution; Water temperature; Zoology; Indian Ocean; Antarctic Ocean; Antarctica; Community structure; Indian Ocean sector; Antarctica; Larval fish; Mesopelagic fish; Ontogenetic vertical distribution; Vertical distribution; Pelagic zone; Marine environment; Mesopelagic fishs; Vertebrata; Geographic distribution; Larva; Pisces; Development; Lutzow-Holm Bay; Polar region; Distribution range; Vertical migration
• ISSN: 0722-4060; 1432-2056
• DOI: 10.1007/s00300-009-0643-0

The horizontal and vertical distributions of fish were examined off Lützow-Holm Bay in the Indian Ocean sector of the Southern Ocean during midnight sun in January 2005. Fish were sampled from six discrete depth layers (0–2,000 m). The most abundant fish in layers from the surface to 200 m were larval stages of
Electrona antarctica
and
Notolepis coatsi
. In layers from 200 to 2,000 m, fish assemblages were relatively uniform among all stations and were dominated by
E. antarctica
(juvenile–subadult),
Cyclothone microdon
, and
Bathylagus antarcticus
. Cluster analysis revealed three epipelagic communities related to water temperature and salinity. An ontogenetic habitat shift to deeper layers was apparent for
E. antarctica
,
N. coatsi
, and
B. antarcticus
. Preferences for warm waters were observed in
E. antarctica
(larvae) and
N. coatsi
(preflexion to flexion larvae), although they were distributed across a broad range of temperature and salinity in epipelagic zones.