Spatial and temporal distribution of fish eggs and larvae abundance at shatt Al-Arab estuary in the northwest Arabian Gulf

Abstract EN

Ichthyoplankton sampling was conducted at two stations in the northwestern part of Arabian Gulf (Shatt Al-Arab estuary A1 and Khor Abdulla A2), during June 2012 to May 2013.

A total of 1426 fish eggs and 2118 fish larvae were collected using conical plankton net (mesh size 300μm).

Three families (Sciaenidae, Soleidae and Clupeidae) of fish eggs and eight families (Gobiidae, Engreaulidae, Sciaenidae, Soleidae, Clupeidae, Polynemidae, Bothidae and Cynoglossidae) of fish larvae were identified.

Sciaenid fish egg comprised 50.49% of all eggs collected and peak of abundance (45.2 egg/10m²) at station in June.

Three fish families (Gobiidae, Engreaulidae and Clupeidae) comprised 85.5% of all larvae collected.

Maximum abundance of gobiid larvae at station A1 in May (25.8 larvae/10m²), Engraulid larvae (48.3 larvae/10m²) at station A2 in May.

Clupid larvae (20.4 larvae/10m²) at station A2 in June.

Fish larvae abundance were significant positively correlated with surface temperature and surface salinity at both stations.

This study showed the importance of northwestern part of Arabian Gulf as spawning sites and nursery for many fishes.