Abstract
Hjort proposed that fishery year-class fluctuations are due mainly to variable larval mortality, and that most mortality is due to early starvation. Some larvae die because they do not find enough zooplankton to eat, but others may die because zooplankton cat them. We examined predation upon eggs, yolk-sac, and/or first-feeding larvae of Atlantic menhaden (Brevoortia tyrannus), gulf menhaden (B. patronus) and spot (Leiostomus xanthurus) by adults of larger (Anomalocera ornata) and smaller (Centropages typicus) copepods. B. tyrannus eggs were too large for either copepod to grasp or ingest. A. ornata could grasp and apparently kill, but not ingest, the smaller L. xanthurus eggs, but C. typicus could not. Both yolk-sac and first-feeding B. tyrannus larvae and first feeding B. patronus larvae were grasped and completely consumed in<4 min by A. ornata. C. typicus ingested yolk-sac larvae of both fish, but not first-feeding larvae of either species. Ingestion rates by A. ornata were significantly related to prey density (ANOVA; p<0.001). Ingestion rates by C. typicus (<2 larvae copepod d-1) were much lower than those of the larger A. ornata (up to 14 larvae copepod d-1) at food concentrations of 10 to 50 larvae l-1. However, expressed as % copepod body carbon ingested copepod d-1, ration by the smaller copepod equalled or exceeded that of the larger. Since copepods and fish larvae can become concentrated together in surface windrows, copepod predation may represent a substantial source of mortality of fish larvae.
Article PDF
Similar content being viewed by others
Explore related subjects
Discover the latest articles, news and stories from top researchers in related subjects.Avoid common mistakes on your manuscript.
Literature cited
Alldredge, A. L.: Aggregation of spawning appendicularians in surface windrows. Bull. mar. Sci. 32, 250–254 (1982)
Alldredge, A. L., B. H. Robinson, A. Fleminger, J. J. Torres, J. M. King and W. M. Hamner: Direct sampling and in-situ observatio of a persistent copepod aggregation in the mesopelagic zone of the Santa Barbara Basin. Mar. Biol. 80, 75–81 (1984)
Arai, M. N. and D. E. Hay: Predation by medusae on Pacific herring (Clupea harengus pallasi) larvae. Can. J. Fish. aquat. Sci. 39, 1537–1540 (1982)
Bailey, K. M.: Comparison of laboratory rates of predation on five species of marine fish larvae by three planktonic invertebrates: effects of larval size on vulnerability. Mar. Biol. 79, 303–309 (1984)
Bailey, K. M. and R. S. Batty: A laboratory study of predation by Aurelia aurita on larval herring (Clupea harengus): experimental observations compared with model predictions. Mar. Biol. 72, 295–301 (1983)
Bailey, K. M. and J. Yen: Predation by a carnivorous marine copepod, Euchaeta elongata Esterly, on eggs and larvae of the Pacific hake, Merluccius productus. J. Plankt. Res. 5, 71–82 (1983)
Barstow, S. F.: The ecology of Langmuir circulation: a review. Mar. environ. Res. 9, 211–236 (1983)
Blaxter, J. H. S. and J. R. Hunter: The biology of clupeoid fishes. Adv. mar. Biol. 20, 1–223 (1982)
Bourne, D. W. and J. J. Govoni: Distribution of fish eggs and larvae in Narragansett Bay (Rhode Island and Massachusetts). (In preparation)
Coston-Clements, L.: Predation of chaetognaths on larval fish. (unpublished manuscript)
Fortier, L. and W. C. Leggett: Small-scale covariability in the abundance of fish larvae and their prey. Can. J. Fish. aquat. Sci. 41, 502–512 (1984)
Fraser, J. H.: Experimental feeding of some medusae and Chaetognatha. J. Fish. Res. Bd Can. 26, 1743–1762 (1969)
Govoni, J. J., D. E. Hoss and P. B. Ortner: The interaction of larval gulf menhaden, Brevoortia patronus, and spot, Leiostomus xanthurus, with the Mississippi River plume. Eos 64 (52), 1022 (1983)
Govoni, J. J., A. J. Chester, D. E. Hoss and P. B. Ortner: An observation of episodic feeding and growth of larval Leiostomus xanthurus in the northern Gulf of Mexico. J. Plankt. Res. 7, 137–146 (1985)
Hettler, W. F.: Spawning and rearing Atlantic menhaden. Prog. Fish-Cult. 43, 80–84 (1981)
Hettler, W. F.: Transporting adult and larval gulf menhaden and techniques for spawning in the laboratory. Prog. Fish-Cult. 45, 45–48 (1983)
Hettler, W. F. and A. B. Powell: Egg and larval fish production at the NMFS Beaufort Laboratory, Beaufort, N. C., USA. Rapp. P.-V. Reun. Const. int. Explor. Mer 178, 501–503 (1981)
Hjort, J.: Fluctuations in the great fisheries of northern Europe viewed in the light of biological research. Rapp. P.-V. Reun. Cons. int. Explor. Mer 20, 1–228 (1914)
Hjort, J.: Fluctuations in the year classes of important food fishes. J. Cons. int. Explor. Mer 1, 5–38 (1926)
Hunter, J. R.: Feeding ecology and predation of marine fish larvae. In: Marine fish larvae, pp 33–77. Ed. by R. Lasker. Seattle: Univ. Washington Press 1981
Kuhlmann, D.: Laboratory studies on the feeding behaviour of the chaetognaths Sagitta setosa J. Müller and S. elegans Verril with special reference to fish eggs and larvae as food organisms. Meeresforschung 25, 163–171 (1977)
Lasker, R.: The role of a stable ocean in larval fish survival and subsequent recruitment. In: Marine fish larvae, pp 80–87. Ed. by R. Lasker. Seattle: Univ. Washington Press 1981
Lebour, M. V.: Young anglers in captivity and some of their enemies. A study in a plunger jar. J. mar. biol. Ass. UK 13, 721–734 (1925)
Lillelund, K. and R. Lasker: Laboratory studies of predation by marine copepods on fish larvae. Fish. Bull. U.S. 69, 655–667 (1971)
May, R. C.: Larval mortality in marine fishes and the critical period concept. In: The early life history of fish, pp 3–19. Ed. by J. H. S. Blaxter. Berlin: Springer-Verlag 1974
Möller, H.: Scyphomedusae as predators and food competitors of larval fish. Meeresforschung 28, 90–100 (1980)
Möller, H.: Reduction of a larval herring population by jellyfish predator. Science, N.Y. 224, 621–622 (1984)
Olney, J. E.: Eggs and early larvae of the bay anchovy, Anchoa mitchilli, and the weakfish, Cynoscion regalis, in lower Chesapeake Bay with notes on associated ichthyoplankton. Estuaries 6, 20–35 (1983)
Omori, M. and W. M. Hamner: Patchy distribution of zooplankton: behavior, population assessment and sampling problems. Mar. Biol. 72, 193–200 (1982)
Pearcy, W.G.: Ecology of an estuarine population of winter flounder, Pseudopleuronectes americanus (Walbaum). II. Distribution and dynamics of larvae. Bull. Bingham Oceanogr. Coll. 18, 16–38 (1962)
Pollard, R. T.: Observations and theories of Langmuir circulations and their roles in near surface mixing. In: A voyage of discovery. George Deacon 70th anniversary volume, pp 235–251. Ed. by M. Angel. Oxford: Pergamon Press 1977
Purcell, J. E.: Influence of siphonophore behavior upon their natural diets: evidence for aggressive mimicry. Science, N.Y. 209, 1045–1047 (1980)
Purcell, J. E.: Feeding ecology of Rhizophysa eysenhardti, a siphonophore predator of fish larvae. Limnol. Oceanogr. 26, 424–432 (1981a)
Purcell, J. E.: Dietary composition and diel feeding patterns of epipelagic siphonophores. Mar. Biol. 65, 83–90 (1981b)
Rose, M.: Copépodes pélagiques. Faune Fr. 26, 1–374 (1933)
Shanks, A. L.: Surface slicks associated with tidally forced internal waves may transport pelagic larvae of benthic invertebrates and fishes shoreward. Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser. 13, 311–315 (1983)
Sheader, M. and F. Evans: Feeding and gut structure of Parathemisto guadichaudi (Buerin) (Amphipoda, Hyperiidae). J. mar. biol. Ass. U.K. 55, 641–656 (1975)
Stevenson, J. C.: Distribution and survival of herring larvae (Clupea pallasi Valenciennes) in British Columbia waters. J. Fish. Res. Bd Can. 19, 735–809 (1962)
Sutcliffe, W. H.: A new species of calanoid copepod from North Carolina. J. Elisha Mitchell Sci. Soc. 65, 273–275 (1949)
Theilacker, G. H. and R. Lasker: Laboratory studies of predation by euphausiid shrimps on fish larvae. In: The early life history of fish, pp 287–299. Ed. by J. H. S. Blaxter. Berlin: Springer-Verlag 1974
Turner, J. T.: Scanning electron microscope investigations of feeding habits and mouthpart structures of three species of copepods of the Family Pontellidae. Bull. mar. Sci. 28, 487–500 (1978)
Turner, J. T.: The feeding ecology of some zooplankters that are important prey items of larval fish. NOAA Techn. Rep. NMFS 7, 1–28 (1984)
Turner, J. T.: Zooplankton feeding ecology: contents of fecal pellets of the copepod Anomalocera ornata from continental shelf and slope waters of the Gulf of Mexico. P. S. Z. N. I. Mar. Ecol. (In press)
Turner, J. T. and S. B. Collard: Winter distribution of pontellid copepods in the neuston of the eastern Gulf of Mexico continental shelf. Bull. mar. Sci. 30, 526–529 (1980)
Westernhagen, H. V. and H. Rosenthal: Predator-prey relationship between Pacific herring Clupea harengus palassi, larvae and a predatory hyperiid amphipod, Hyperoche medusarum. Fish. Bull. U.S. 74, 669–674 (1976)
Westernhagen, H. V., H. Rosenthal, S. Kerr and G. Furstenberg: Factors influencing predation of Hyperoche medusarum (Hyperiida: Amphipoda) on larvae of the Pacific herring Clupea harengus pallasi. Mar. Biol. 51, 195–201 (1979)
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
Communicated by J. M. Shick, Orono
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Turner, J.T., Tester, P.A. & Hettler, W.F. Zooplankton feeding ecology. Marine Biology 90, 1–8 (1985). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00428208
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00428208