SPATIAL DISTRIBUTION OF PENAEIDEA LARVAE AT BLANCA BAY, ARGENTINA

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to analize the spatial distribution of different larvae stages of Pleoticus muelleri, Artemesia longinaris and Peisos petrunkevitchi at Blanca Bay. Summer plankton samples from 9 sities were compared, 3 in the infernal zone of bay and 6 in the extemal one; the last one 3 correspond to Pehuen Có area and 3 in front of Monte Hermoso city. The larvae were captured with a plankton net of 300 Jim and 500 pm mesh size. In the infernal zone no larvae were found. The three species showed a similar spatial distribution pattern in the two areas of extemal zone, although they were more abundant in the zone in front of Pehuen Có. The protozoea was the most abundant stage and postlarvae of Artemesia longinaris and Pleoticus muelleri were not registred. Peisos petrunkevitchi was the most abundant species in both larva and postlarva stage. The three species showed to be off shore dwellers. This characteristic denote differences between these species and the others tropical and subtropical peneids which use estuarine waters for "nurseries".