Species Profiles: Life Histories and Environmental Requirements of Coastal Fishes and Invertebrates
This series describes the life histories and environmental requirements of coastal aquatic organisms along the coasts of the United States. The organisms are principally fish of sport, commercial, or ecological importance. The profiles were designed to provide coastal managers, engineers, and biologists with a brief, comprehensive sketch of the biological characteristics and environmental requirements of the species and to describe how populations of the species may be expected to react to environmental changes caused by coastal development. Individual profiles have sections on taxonomy, life history, ecological role, environmental requirements, and economic importance, if applicable.
Distribution of Gulf Menhaden
[Image: www.aquamaps.org]
Gulf Menhaden are found throughout the Gulf of Mexico and along the eastern shore of Florida. For more information, visit AquaMaps, which offers standardized distribution maps for fishes, marine mammals, and invertebrates. There are predicted distribution maps of individual species, thematic maps, checklists, and tools. AquaMaps relies on partnerships with FishBase, OBIS, and GBIF.
Gulf Menhaden
Gulf Menhaden [Image courtesy of U.S. Commission of Fish and Fisheries (1899), now U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Species profiles are literature summaries of the taxonomy, morphology, range, life history, and environmental requirements of coastal aquatic species. They are prepared to assist in environmental impact assessment. The gulf menhaden, Brevoortia patronus, supports the largest fishery (by weight) in the United States; 779,390 mt were landed in 1979. Larval, juvenile, and adult menhaden are important prey for many fishes and birds. The species lives in estuaries and in the Gulf of Mexico to a maximum depth of about 70 m. Spawning takes place in the Gulf of Mexico from September to May and larvae are carried into estuaries within 3-5 weeks after hatching. Larvae inhabit the shallow marshy parts of estuaries and feed on microzooplankton. Larvae metamorphose into juveniles which are omnivorous filter feeders. As they grow, juveniles move from shallow parts of estuaries to deeper areas. Juveniles and adults migrate to the Gulf of Mexico as temperatures drop in the fall. Adults become sexually mature after two growing seasons. They have been collected in a temperature range of 5 - 34.9 degrees C and a salinity range of 0-67 ppt. Larvae and juveniles tolerate lower salinities than adults.
The NBII Program is administered by the Biological Informatics Office of the U.S. Geological Survey
