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Cited by 112Marine and fisheries researchOceanographic and Atmospheric ProcessesIchthyology and Marine Biology

Varying mesoscale structures influence larval fish distribution in the northern Gulf of Mexico

Open access
Lindo-Atichati, D, Bringas, F, Goni, G, Muhling, B, Muller-Karger, FE, Habtes, S·2012·Marine Ecology Progress Series
DOI 10.3354/meps09860
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Abstract

The variability of mesoscale circulation structures in the Gulf of Mexico (GOM) was examined using satellite altimeter data collected between 1992 and 2008, and linkages between ocean circulation and the spatial distribution of larval fish were assessed.The abundance and distribution of the larvae of 5 pelagic fish taxa (Auxis spp., Euthynnus alleteratus, Thunnus thynnus, other Thunnus spp., and Coryphaena spp.) were estimated from surveys conducted by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration National Marine Fisheries Service each spring between 1993 and 2007.We observed a tendency for higher northward extension of the Loop Current (LC) during spring each year, with maximum northern penetration in summer, although the exact location of the LC varied from year to year.Generally, higher total larval abundances occurred during years of high northward penetration in a region that was crossed by the LC during its excursions.However, the interannual variability of the LC was not mirrored in a general increase or decrease of larval fish densities in the water masses out of the LC front.Further, the results show that larvae of T. thynnus and Auxis spp.were more abundant within the boundaries of anticyclonic features (usually between 148 to 158 cm of sea surface height) and within GOM common waters, defined as the background waters in between the boundaries of mesoscale features.Our findings suggest that the position and strength of anticyclone mesoscale features in the GOM define a favorable spawning habitat for the species examined.

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  • T. thynnus larvae in the Gulf are most often found at the Loop Current Frontal Zone and the boundaries of anticyclonic eddies.

    “T. thynnus larvae in the Gulf are most often found at the Loop Current Frontal Zone and the boundaries of anticyclonic eddies.”

    From A comparison of sampling methods for larvae of medium and large epipelagic fish species during spring SEAMAP ichthyoplankton surveys in the Gulf of Mexico (2014) · cites this paper as Lindo-Atichati et al. 2012

    The Discussion reports that T. thynnus larvae were most often present at anticyclonic-feature boundaries and in Gulf common waters. It only suggests that densities within the Loop Current frontal zone may have exceeded those in the current’s main body; it does not establish the frontal zone as a location where the larvae were most often found. The Discussion also places much of their spawning habitat outside the Loop Current region of interest. (LLM, conf=0.87)

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  • In the Gulf of Mexico, bluefin tuna larvae were found most frequently in common waters outside of the warm Loop Current and associated warm-core rings, and away from higher chlorophyll continental shelf waters.

    “In the GOM, BFT larvae were found most frequently in 'common waters' outside of the warm Loop Current and associated warm-core rings, and away from higher chlorophyll continental shelf waters (Muhling et al. 2010, Lindo-Atichati et al. 2012).”

    From Comparison between environmental characteristics of larval bluefin tuna Thunnus thynnus habitat in the Gulf of Mexico and western Mediterranean Sea (2013) · cites this paper as Lindo-Atichati et al. 2012

    The Discussion and the section on effects of other mesoscale structures report bluefin tuna larvae in Gulf common waters and along anticyclonic boundaries outside the Loop Current region. But the paper reports higher mean bluefin larval density at anticyclonic boundaries than in common waters, so it does not establish common waters as their most frequent location. Our copy does not assess whether larvae avoided higher-chlorophyll continental shelf waters. (LLM, conf=0.88)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

  • The complex mesoscale eddy fields in the western Mediterranean, resulting from inflowing Atlantic waters, contrast with the periodic shedding of large, warm anticyclonic eddies in the Gulf of Mexico.

    “The complex mesoscale eddy fields in the western Medi terranean, resulting from inflowing Atlantic waters, contrast with the periodic shedding of large, warm anticyclonic eddies in the GOM (Millot, 1999, Lindo-Atichati et al. 2012)”

    From Comparison between environmental characteristics of larval bluefin tuna Thunnus thynnus habitat in the Gulf of Mexico and western Mediterranean Sea (2013) · cites this paper as Lindo-Atichati et al. 2012

    The Introduction reports that the Gulf of Mexico’s Loop Current sheds large anticyclonic rings, with an average of 9.5 months between shedding events. Our copy does not describe those rings as warm. The western Mediterranean portion of the sentence is separately cited to Millot (1999), not this paper. (LLM, conf=0.83)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

  • The Loop Current Frontal Zone and anticyclonic eddy boundaries are associated with off-shelf waters and lower surface chlorophyll concentrations.

    “These regions are associated with off-shelf waters and lower surface chlorophyll concentrations (Muhling et al. 2010;2012;Lindo-Atichati et al. 2012).”

    From A comparison of sampling methods for larvae of medium and large epipelagic fish species during spring SEAMAP ichthyoplankton surveys in the Gulf of Mexico (2014) · cites this paper as Lindo-Atichati et al. 2012

    The spatial-variability section defines the Loop Current front using sea-surface height, and the Discussion describes larval densities near anticyclonic boundaries. Neither passage links those regions to off-shelf waters or lower surface chlorophyll concentrations; searches for those terms found no such finding in our copy. The indexed passages provide no page numbers. (LLM, conf=0.73)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

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Cites

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2 of the 55 references couldn’t be matched to a known paper.

Research works printed but not linked: 1

  1. Brothers EB, Prince ED, Lee DW (1983) Age and growth of young-of-the-year bluefin tuna, Thunnus thynnus, from otolith microstructure. In: Prince ED, Pulos LM (eds) Pro- ceedings of the international workshop on age determi- nation of oceanic pelagic fishes: tunas, billfishes, and sharks. NOAA Nat Mar Fish Serv Tech Rep, Vol 8, p 49-59

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Authors
Lindo-Atichati, D., Bringas, F., Goni, G., Muhling, B., Muller-Karger, F., & Habtes, S.
Affiliations
  • University of Miami (US)
  • NOAA Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratories (US)
  • National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (US)
  • University of South Florida St. Petersburg (US)
ORCID
Venue
Marine Ecology Progress Series
Publisher
Inter-Research Science Center
Published
2012-08-30
Volume
463
Pages
245-257
ISSN
  • 0171-8630 (ISSN-L)
  • 1616-1599
DOI
10.3354/meps09860
OpenAlex
W2124781223
Cited by
112
References
55
Citations by year
2026: 6 · 2025: 6 · 2024: 10 · 2023: 8 · 2022: 5 · 2021: 16 · 2020: 10 · 2019: 8 · 2018: 5 · 2017: 10 · 2016: 2 · 2015: 10 · 2014: 9 · 2013: 6 · 2012: 1
FWCI
6.91
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Marine Ecology Progress Series (publishedVersion)
  • Digital Commons - University of South Florida (University of South Florida) (submittedVersion)
  • Acceda (Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria) (submittedVersion)
Funders
  • University of Miami
  • National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Topics
  • Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Global and Planetary Change › Marine and fisheries research
  • Physical Sciences › Earth and Planetary Sciences › Oceanography › Oceanographic and Atmospheric Processes
  • Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Nature and Landscape Conservation › Ichthyology and Marine Biology
Keywords
mesoscale ocean circulation, larval fish distribution, Loop Current, anticyclonic eddies, spawning grounds, Auxis, Thunnus thynnus, sea surface height, satellite altimetry, interannual variability, Gulf of Mexico

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