Kind, Abundance and Distribution of the Fish Larvae in the South China Sea, Area II: Sarawak, Sabah and Brunei Darussalam

Abstract

Fish larvae samples were obtained from 79 stations in South China Sea of the Sarawak , Brunei and Sabah during the pre northeast monsoon season (August - September 1996) and the post northeast monsoon (April - May 1997). The standard larvae net and bongo net were used for the surface and oblique sampling. The specimens were identified which comprise of 112 families and 186 species of fish larvae observed from both cruises. For the pre northeast monsoon sampling there were 5,156 individuals observed from 86 families and 125 species in the surface horizontal haul and 16,277 individuals from 96 families and 149 species in the oblique haul. The post northeast monsoon collection showed 6,595 individauls from 79 families and 114 species collected in the surface horizontal hauls and 24,450 individauls from 94 families and 158 species observed in the oblique hauls. From the surface horizontal sampling, the abundant larvae observed were Stolephorus sp., Sardinella sp., Upeneus sp., Myripristis sp., Holocentrus sp., Gobiidae, Decapterus sp. and Diaphus sp. Specimens from the oblique hauls, Gobiidae, Bregmaceros rarisquamosus, Nemipterus sp., Stolephorus sp. and Callionymus sp. were the most species observed abundant in the collection. The mesopelagic fish larvae, Hygophum sp., Myctophum sp., Pollichthys sp. and Lampadena sp. were found abundant in the oblique specimens in the deep sea stations. The larvae were collected in more abundant during the early morning, night time and cloudy day sampling.