Guide to the Identification of Larval and Earlyjuvenile Poachers Fronn
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NOAA Technical Report NMFS 137 May 1998 Guide to the Identification of Larval and EarlyJuvenile Poachers (Sco~aendfornnes:~onddae) fronn the Northeastern Pacific Ocean and Bering Sea Morgan S. Busby u.s. Department ofCommerce U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE WILLIAM M. DALEY NOAA SECRETARY National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Technical D.James Baker Under Secretary for Oceans and Atmosphere Reports NMFS National Marine Fisheries Service Technical Reports of the Fishery Bulletin Rolland A. Schmitten Assistant Administrator for Fisheries Scientific Editor Dr.John B. Pearce Northeast Fisheries Science Center National Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA 166 Water Street Woods Hole, Massachusetts 02543-1097 Editorial Conunittee Dr. Andrew E. Dizon National Marine Fisheries Service Dr. Linda L. Jones National Marine Fisheries Service Dr. Richard D. Methot Nauonal Marine Fisheries Service Dr. Theodore W. Pietsch University of Washington Dr. Joseph E. Powers National Marine Fisheries Service Dr. Titn D. Stnith National Marine Fisheries Service Managing Editor Shelley E. Arenas Scientific Publications Office National Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA 7600 Sand Point Way N.E. Seattle, Washington 98115-0070 The NOAA Technical Report NMFS (ISSN 0892-8908) series is published by the Scientific Publications Office, Na tional Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA, 7600 Sand Point Way N.E., Seattle, WA The NOAA Technual Report NMFS series of the Fishery Bulletin carries peer-re 98115-0070. viewed, lengthy original research reports, taxonomic keys, species synopses, flora The Secretary of Commerce has de and fauna studies, and data intensive reports on investigations in fishery science, termined that the publication of this se engineering, and economics. The series was established in 1983 to replace two ries is necessary in the transaction of the subcategories of the Technical Report series: "Special Scientific Report-Fisher public business required by law of tllis ies" and "Circular." Copies of the NOAA Technual Report NMFS are available free Department. Use of funds for printing of in limited numbers to government agencies, both federal and state. They are also this series has been approved by tiIe Di rector of the Office of Management and available in exchange for other scientific and technical publications in the marine Budget. SCIences. NOAA Technical Report NMFS 137 A Technical Report of the Fishery Bulletin Guide to the Identification of Larval and EarlyJuvenile Poachers (Sco~ae~fornnes:~o~dae) fronn the Northeastern Pacific Ocean and Bering Sea Morgan S. Busby May 1998 u.s. Department of Commerce Seattle, Washington Suggested reference Busby, Morgan S. 1998. Guide to the identification of larval and early juvenile poachers (Scorpaeniformes: Agonidae) from the northeastern Pacific Ocean and Bering Sea. U.S. Dep. Commer., NOAA Tech. Rep. NMFS 137,88 p. Purchasing additional copies Additional copies of this report are available for purchase in paper copy or microfiche from the National Technical Information Service, 5285 Port Royal Road, Springfield, VA 22161; l-800-553-NTIS; http://www.ntis.gov. Copyright law Although the contents of the Technical Reports have not been copyrighted and may be reprinted entirely, reference to source IS appreciated. Proprietary products The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) does not approve, recommend, or endorse any proprietary product or proprietary material mentioned in this publication. No reference shall be made to NMFS, or to this publication furnished by NMFS, in any advertising or sales promotion which would indicate or imply that NMFS approves, recommends, or endorses any proprietary product or proprietary material mentioned herein, or which has as its purpose an intent to cause directly or indirectly the advertised product to be used or purchased because of this NMFS publication. Guide to the Identification of Larval and EarlyJuvenile Poachers (Scorpaeniformes: Agonidae) from the Northeastern Pacific Ocean and Bering Sea MORGAN S. BUSBY Resource Assessment and Conservation Engineering Division Alaska Fisheries Science Center National Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA 7600 Sand Point Way N.£. Seattle, Washington 98115 ABSTRACT Developmental stages of 22 species representing 16 genera of agonid fishes occurring in the northeastern Pacific Ocean from San Francisco Bay to the Arctic Ocean are pre sented. Three of these species also occur in the North Atlantic Ocean. Larval stages of nine species are described for the first time. Additional information or illustrations intended to augment original descriptions are provided for eight species. Information on five other species is provided from the literature for comparative purposes. The primary objective of this guide is to present taxonomic characters to help identify the early life history stages of agonid fishes in field collections. Meristic, morphometric, osteological, and pigmentation characters are used to identify agonid larvae. Meristic features include numbers of median-fin elements, pectoral-fin rays, dermal plates, and vertebrae. Eye diameter, body depth at the pectoral-fin origin, snout to first dorsal-fin length, and pectoral-fin length are the most useful morphological characters. Presence, absence, numbers, and/or patterns ofdermal plates in lateral rows or on the ventral surface of the gut are also useful. Other important characters are the presence, absence, numbers, and ornamentation of larval head spines. Lastly, distinct pigmentation patterns are often diagnostic. The potential utility of larval characters in phylogenetic analysis of the family Agonidae is discussed. Introduction analysis of the family was recently conducted by Kanayama (1991). The family Agonidae is a morphologically diverse group Most agonids occur in the North Pacific Ocean. Four of relatively small, benthic marine fishes. Commonly species are known in the North Atlantic and one from called poachers and alligatorfishes, the family is com the coast of Chile and the Patagonia-Falklands area. posed of 20 genera and 45 nominal species. Agonids Sixteen genera represented by 25 species occur in the are characterized most notably by the presence offused northeastern Pacific Ocean and Bering Sea. The re or overlapping bony plates encasing the body. Mem mainder are found mostly in the northwestern Pacific bers of other families such as the Gasterosteidae, aroundJapan (Matarese et al., 1989; Kanayama, 1991). Pegasidae, Syngnathidae, and Triglidae also possess der Few studies on the ontogeny of agonid fishes have mal plates but are not considered close relatives of the been conducted. Agonids spawn demersal eggs and Agonidae (Freeman, 1951; Pietsch, 1978). Agonids are have planktonic larval stages (Matarese et al., 1989). hypothesized to be the sister group of the family Washington et al. (1984), Maeda and Amaoka (1988), Hemitripteridae, in the superfamily Cottoidea (Yabe, and Busby and Ambrose (1993) reported that forma 1985). A thorough systematic study and phylogenetic tion of most external body parts, including dermal 2 NOAA Technical Report NMFS 137 bony plates and spines, begins early in larval develop AFSC, CaICOFI, and VPA do not have acronyms desig ment. These and other studies have included brief de nated in Leviton etal. (1985) or Leviton and Gibbs (1988) scriptions and illustrations of various early life history so their self designated acronyms are used instead. A stages for 14 genera and 15 of the 25 species from the collection location (e.g.,AFSC, 5MF91, Methot, St. G036A) northeastern Pacific Ocean. With the exception ofBusby or museum catalog number (e.g., ARC, 9010796) is given and Ambrose (1993), none provided detailed descrip for each specimen illustrated. Specimens were origi tions of morphological and/or osteological develop nally preserved in 3.5% or 5.0% formalin and stored in ment at all stages of larval development. 3.5% buffered formalin or 70% ethanol. This guide includes the agonid species known to Taxonomic characters of agonid larvae were deter occur in the northeastern Pacific Ocean from San Fran mined using the serial approach. This method uses cisco Bay to the Arctic Ocean as listed by Matarese et al. adult characters to identify juveniles and progressively (1989). Three of these species are circumarctic in dis links them to smaller specimens through a continuous tribution and also occur in the North Atlantic Ocean. sequence of shared or similar features. Pigmentation The primary objective of this guide is to present taxo patterns, morphological characteristics, dermal plate nomic characters to help researchers identify the early formation, head spination, and meristic features were life history stages of agonid fishes from field collec all used as diagnostic characters. Identification ofadult tions. Developmental stages of 22 species representing and juvenile specimens was accomplished using taxo 16 genera of agonid fishes are presented. Descriptions nomic information published by Miller and Lea (1972), of early life history stages for nine of these 22 species Hart (1973), Eschmeyer et al. (1983), and Kanayama are presented for the first time. Additional information (1991). Taxonomic classification follows Kanayama or illustrations intended to augment the original de (1991), as does the order of presentation. Common scriptions are presented for eight species. Information names of fishes (Robins et aI., 1991) are used through on the five remaining species is provided from existing out. Developmental series were