Rev. biol. mar. oceanogr. 48(2): 401-407

Research Note

Distribution of microplankton and fish larvae related to sharp clines in a Patagonian fjord

Mauricio F. Landaeta¹, Rodrigo A. Martínez², Claudia A. Bustos^1,3 & Leonardo R. Castro⁴

¹Laboratorio de Ictioplancton (LABITI), Facultad de Ciencias del Mar y de Recursos Naturales, Universidad de Valparaíso, Avenida Borgoño 16344, Reñaca, Viña del Mar, Chile

²Institut de Ciències del Mar (CSIC), Ps. Marítim de la Barceloneta 37-49, 08003, Barcelona, Spain

³Programa Doctorado en Acuicultura, Facultad de Ciencias del Mar, Universidad Católica del Norte, Larrondo 1281, Coquimbo, Chile

⁴Laboratorio de Oceanografía Pesquera y Ecología Larval (LOPEL), Centro FONDAP-COPAS y Departamento de Oceanografía, Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Oceanográficas, Universidad de Concepción, Casilla 160-C, Concepción, Chile

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Vertical distribution of microzooplankton and fish larvae was studied in a Patagonian fjord from Chile. Zooplankton collection, including larvae of the sprat Sprattus fuegensis (Clupeidae) and the lightfish Maurolicus parvipinnis (Sternoptychidae) were collected during a 25 h period inside Steffen fjord (47°S) during November 2008, using stratified sampling of zooplankton, prey field, and CTD casts. Most copepod nauplii, copepodites of Acartia tonsa and large M. parvipinnis larvae were collected in the vicinity of the pycnocline, while larval S. fuegensis did not show a spatial pattern. Therefore, some larval fish species may utilize stable water parcels to increase predator-prey encounter rates.

Key words:  Vertical stratification, Maurolicus parvipinnis, Sprattus fuegensis