Biological Report 82(11.98) TR EL-82-4February 1989

Species Profiles: Life Histories andDTICEnvironmental Requirements of Coastal Fishes fI(1Sand Invertebrates (Mid-Atlantic) '-CT'~

SPOT 6dNL

Coastal Ecology Group*Fish and Wildlife Service Waterways Experiment Station

U.S. Department of the Interior U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

Biological Report 82(11.98)TR EL-82-4February 1989

Species Profiles: Life Histories and Environmental Requirementsof Coastal Fishes and Invertebrates (Mid-Atlantic)

SPOT

by

J. M. Phillips, M. T. Huish, and J. H. KerbyNorth Carolina Cooperative Fishery Research Unit

U.S. Fish and Wildlife ServiceNorth Carolina State University

Zoology DepartmentRaleigh, NC 27695

*and

D. P. MoranU.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

National Wetlands Research Center1010 Gause Blvd.Slidell, LA 70458

Project ManagerEdward Pendleton

U.S. Fish and Wildlife ServiceNational Wetlands Research Center

1010 Gause BoulevardSlidell, LA 70458

Performed forCoastal Ecology Group

Waterways Experiment StationU.S. Army Corps of Engineers

Vicksburg, MS 39180

and

U.S. Department of InteriorFish and Wildlife ServiceResearch and Development

Washington, DC 20240

This series may be referenced as follows:

U.S. Fish. and Wildlife Service. 1988. Species profiles: life histories andenvironmental requirements of coastal fishes and invertebrates. U.S. FishWildl. Serv. Biol. Rep. 82(11.). U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, TR EL-82-4.

This profile may be referenced as follows:

Phillips, J.M., M.T. Huish, J.H. Kerby, and D.P. Moran. 1989. Species profiles:life histories and environmental requirements of coastal fishes andinvertebrates (mid-Atlantic)--spot. U.S. Fish Wildl. Serv. Biol. Rep.82(11.98). U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, TR EL-82-4. 13 pp.

PREFACE

This species profile is one of a series on coastal aquatic organisms,principally fish, of sport, commercial, or ecological importance. The profilesare designed to provide coastal managers, engineers, and biologists with a briefcomprehensive sketch of the biological characteristics and environmentalrequirements of the species and to describe how populations of the species may beexpected to react to environmental changes caused by coastal development. Eachprofile has sections on taxonomy, life history, ecological role, environmentalrequirements, and economic importance, if applicable. A three-ring binder isused for this series so that new profiles can be added as they are prepared.This project is jointly planned and financed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineersand the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Suggestions or questions regarding this report should be directed to one ofthe following addresses.

Information Transfer SpecialistNational Wetlands Research CenterU.S. Fish and Wildlife ServiceNASA-Slidell Computer Complex1010 Gause BoulevardSlidell, LA 70458

or

U.S. Army Engineer Waterways Experiment StationAttention: WESER-CPost Office Box 631Vicksburg, MS 39180 Aecession For

Aecessloni For

NTIS GRA&ISTIC TA5Unannounced L]Justificatlon

By

Distributlon/

Availability Codes

'Avail and/orDist Special

A-ii

CONVERSION TABLE

Metric to U.S. Customary

Multiply By To Obtain

millimeters (mm) 0.03937 inchescentimeters (cm) 0.3937 inchesmeters (i) 3.281 feetmeters (m) 0.5468 fathomskilometers (km) 0.6214 statute mileskilometers (km) 0.5396 nautical miles

square meters (m2 ) 10.76 square feetsquare kilometers (km2 ) 0.3861 square mileshectares (ha) 2.471 acres

liters (1) 0.2642 gallonscubic meters (m3 ) 35.31 cubic feetcubic meters (m3 ) 0.0008110 acre-feet

milligrams (mg) 0.00003521 ouncesgrams (g) 0.03527 ounceskilograms (kg) 2.205 poundsmetric tons t) 2205.0 poundsmetric tons (t) 1.102 short tons

kilocalories (kcal) 3.968 British thermal units

Celsius degrees (°C) 1.8(0 C) 32 Fahrenheit degrees

U.S. Customary to Metric

inches 25.40 millimetersinches 2 54 centimetersfeet (ft) 0.3048 metersfathoms 1.829 metersstatute miles (mi) 1.609 kilometersnautical miles (nmi) 1.852 kilometers

square feet (ft2 ) 0.0929 square meterssquare miles (mi2 ) 2.590 square kilometersacres 0.4047 hectares

gallons (gal) 3.785 literscubic feet (ft3 ) 0.02831 cubic metersacre-feet 1233.0 cubic meters

ounces (oz) 28350.0 milligramsounces (oz) 28.35 gramspounds (Ib) 0.4536 kilogramspounds (Ib) 0.00045 metric tonsshort tons (ton) 0.9072 metric tons

British thermal units (Btu) 0.2520 kilocaloriesFahrenheit degrees (*F) 0.5556 ('F - 32) Celsius degrees

iv

CONTENTS

Page

PREFACE .. .... ............. .............. ... iiiCONVERSION FACTORS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iACKNOWLEDGMENTS. .. ......... .............. ...... vi

NOMENCLATURE/TAXONOMY/RANGE. .. .......... .............. 1MORPHOLOGY/IDENTIFICATION AIDS .. .......... ............. 1REASON FOR INCLUSION IN SERIES .. .......... ............. 3LIFE HISTORY. .... .............. ............... 3

Spawning. ..... ............. ............. ... 3Eggs, Larvae, and Juveniles. .. .......... ............. 4Migrations........... ... *.'.*.'.'.*.. *.*.*.*........................4

GROWTH CHARACTERISTICS .. .......... ............. .... 5COMMERCIAL AND SPORT FISHERIES .. .......... ............. 6ECOLOGICAL ROLE .. .... ............. .............. 6

Food. ..... ............. ............. ..... 6Predation ....... ............................................... 7

ENVIRONMENTAL REQUIREMENTS.. .. .. *.*.*.'.................................8Temperature, Salinity, and Dissolved Oxygen .. .... ............ 8Chemical Tolerances. .. .......... ............. .... 8

LITERATURE CITED. .... .............. ............. 9

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

We are sincerely grateful to Mrs. Dorothy Wright for typing and placingthis document on computer and for proofreading the material.

The work was supervised by the North Carolina Cooperative Fishery ResearchUnit which is sponsored by the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission,North Carolina State University, and the United States Fish and Wildlife Service.

We are thankful for peer reviews by William Hettler of the National MarineFisheries Service, Beaufort, North Carolina, and Charles Wenner of the SouthCarolina Marine Resources Research Institute, Charleston.

vi

Figure 1. Spot (Mid-Atlantic).

SPOT

NOMENCLATURE/TAXONOMY/RANGE MORPHOLOGY/IDENTIFICATION AIDS

Scientific name ............. Leiostomus Dorsal spines and rays X-XI+I,xanthurus Lacepede (FigureY 1 29-35; anal spines and rays II, 12-13;

Preferred common name ............. Spot vertebrae 25 (10 precaudal and 15Other common names ....... Flat croaker, caudal); lateral line scales, 72-77;

Norfolk spot, golden croaker (during gill rakers short, 8 to 12 on thespawning season), croaker, goody, upper limb and 20 to 24 on the lowerCape May goody, silver gudgeon, limb of the first arch (Hildebrand andlafayette, roach, chub, jimmy Schroeder 1927; Miller and Jorgenson

Class ..................... Osteichthyes 1973; Chao 1978). Body rather snortOrder ...................... Perciformes and deep, with five marginal and fiveFamily .............. Sciaenidae - drums upper pores on the snout, and fiveGeographic range: Estuarine and mental pores at the tip of the lower

coastal waters from Cape Cod to the jaw, barbels absent; tail broad andBay of Campeche in Mexico (Dahlberg truncate in young but notably concave1976; Ross 1980); especially in adults (Chao and Musick 1977;abundant in the estuaries in summer Hildebrand and Schroeder 1927).and fall from Delaware Bay to Pelvic fins moderately long, insertedGeorgia. Also reported to occur in just behind the base of the pectoralfreshwater as far as 23 mi upstream fins; pector..l fins reach well beyondfrom brackish water (Raney and the tips of the pelvic fins in adults,Massman 1953; Massman 1954) (Figure much shorter in young (Hildebrand and2). Schroeder 1927). Larvae with an

1

NEW YORK

,NEWJERSEY

PE NSYLVANIA

PHILADELPHIA

- - --- ATfLANTIC OCEA N-~MARYLAND \X

BALTIMORE _

WAHNTN D.C.

VIRGIIA mMIL.ES

m0 50 100

0 so 100

eIF4 _Y_ K I L OM f T E ItS

ED Coastal distribution

Figure 2. Distribution of spot in the Mid-Atlantic Region.

2

oblique terminal mouth becoming reflections above; silvery underneath;inferior once larval length reaches sioes with 12 to 15 oblique yellowishabout 25 mm (Hildebrand anu Gable bars, becoming indistinct in very1930). The number of premaxillary and large fish; a large yellowish-blackdentary teeth increase until fish shoulder spot present, except in verylength reaches 60 mm (SL), at which young; fins mostly pale yellow; dorsaltime the dentary teeth begin to fall and caudal fins more or less dusky;out, becoming completely absent in anal and pelvics also partly dusky infish greater than 100 mm (SL) in large fish (Hildebrand and Schroederlength (Govoni 1987). Upper jaw 1927; Pearson 1928).somewhat protrusible, gape small;villiform teeth in broad bands on thepremaxillaries (juveniles only), and REASON FOR INCLUSION IN SERIESinner row of dentaries enlargeo,canines absent (Chao and Musick 1977). Spot are important to both

recreational anglers and commercialLarval spot 7-15 mm long can be fishermen in the Mid-Atlantic Region

separated from other sciaenids by the (Pacheco 1962a; Kjelson and Johnsonpresence of 12 anal rays and the 1976; Hodson et al. 1981b; Ross 1980).absence of pigmentation (Pearson They constitute a major proportion of1928) . Postl arvae of spot and the biomass and numbers of fishAtlantic croaker (Micropogonias present in estuarine waters of thisundulatus) can be differentiated by region (Pacheco 1962a; Kjelson andtheir caudal fins, which are squarely Johnson 1976; Markle 1976; Shenker andtruncated in spot and pointed in Dean 1979). Consequently, they areAtlantic croakers (Welsh and Breder considered to be important in the1923). Larval and postlarval structure and function of thesedevelopment in spot was described by estuarine ecosystems (Kjelson andHildebrand and Cable (1930), Johnson Johnson 1976).(1978),and Powell and Gordy (1980).

LIFE HISTORYColor in life: an ill-defined

row of faint melanophores on each Spawningside of the anterior body in newlyhatched larvae. A faint dorsal and a Females as small as 214 mm havefaint ventral melanophore located been found with ripening ovaabout midbody and several more faint (Hildebrand and Schroeder 1927). Themelanophores at the dorsal midline largest fish in the populationshortly after hatching. Dorsal generally spawn first (Hildebrand andmelanophores decreasing and ventral Cable 1930). Most spawn offshore overmelanophores increasing in number as the outer continental shelf, fromlarvae grow. Finally, a single row October to March (Hildebrand and Cableof melanophores along the ventral 1930; Ross 1980; Lewis and Judy 1983;midline becomes established in the Miller et al. 1984; Warlen and Chesterlate yolk-sac stage and persists 1985). According to Lewis and Judythroughout the larval period (Powell (1983) some spot spawn inshore.ano Gordy 1980). Laboratory spawning has been induced

at temperatures of 17.5-25.0 °C at a

Fish 20-50 mm long, mostly pale; photoperiod of 8 h light and 16 h oarksides of head silvery; sides of body (Hettler and Powell 1981). Nostand back each with a row of dark spawning off the coast of Northblotches composed of dusky Carolina occurs 75-95 km offshorepunctations, besides other irregularly (Warlen and Chester 1985), and peaksplaced dusky points. Fish longer than in December and January (Lewis and50 mm, bluish gray with golden Judy 1983; Warlen and Chester 1985).

03

's, Larvae, 3nd Juveniles 1976; Lewis and Judy 1983; Warlen andChester 1985). Off North Carolina,

From laboratory-induced spawning, larvae collected near the Gulf Streamtne numoer of eggs produced per female were 29 days old and < 4 mm standardranqes from 30,000 to 60,000 (Hettler length (SL). Their average age is 59and Powell 1981). Eggs occur in the days (11.3-15.6 mm SL) when they firstvater above the Continental Shelf in enter the Newport River estuary4inter \Powell and Gordy 1980; (Warlen and Chester 1985). LarvaeSticKney anc Cuenco 1982). Egg less than 11 mm long are rarelyu.aneters range from 0.72 to 0.87 mm collected in the estuaries, but. -owel I ana Gordy 1980). The postlarvae are common in nearshore andinc uation period lasts about 48 hours estuarine waters (Kjelson and Johnson

a water temperature of 20 °C 1976). Near the inlets, the larvae'Powell and Goroy 1980). The eggs and metamorphose to juveniles (Miller etpreflexion larvae (larvae in which the al. 1984).notocnerd nas not yet begun to flex)are DUocart; the larvae probably In the York and Cape Fear RiversDecorme uemersal durina the flexion and their respective tributaries, agestaoe 'Lewis 3nd Judy 1983; Kendall et 0 spot are densest upstream (Chao andal. 1984). Larvae are about 1.5-1.7 Musick 1977, Weinstein 1979);mm long at hatching Hilaebrand and yearl ings are densest in the lowerCable 1930; Powell and Gordy 1980, reaches (Chao and Musick 1977). Thee.arlen and Chester 1985), and begin highest density reported for juvenilefeeding when they are 3 days old at 24 spot was 14.9/m2 in Rose Bay, N.C.oC, and when they are 6 days old at 18 (Gilliam et al. 1985). SeagrassoC (Powell and Chester 1985). Larvae meadows and tidal creeks are importantup to 21 days old exhibit irreversible nursery habitats for postlarval andstarvation when unfed for three days juvenile spot (Spitsbergen and Wolff,'Powell and Chester 1985). Older 1976; Wolff 1976; Weinstein 1979;larvae (60-90 days) have 50% mortality Weinstein and Brooks 1983). Theseafter 20 days without food (Powell and spot constitute as much as 80% and 90%Chester 1985). of the total number of fish present in

seagrass meadows and tidal creeks,respectively, but appear to preferIn the offshore waters of North marsh creeks over seagrass meadows

Carolina k6 to abut 63 nautical miles (Weinstein and Brooks 1983).

from land), spot larvae are most dense

in mid-water and at the bottom duringt.. day and appear to migrate to the Migrationssurface at night (Kjelson et al.1976). In the nearshore waters (< 5 In North Carolina, larvae firstnautical miles from land), larval move inshore (to the Newport River

concentrations are greatest on the estuary) from mid-December to mid-bottom during both night and day April and, in Onslow Bay at that time,(Kjelson et al. 1976). In data are thought to be passivelycollected in one year from January to transported by the water currentsApril, the average densities of larval (Warlen and Chester 1985). Juvenilespot ranged from 0 to 59 + 81 (SD) per spot first occur in marshes of the'000 m3 of water in the nearshore area Albemarle Sound and Neuse Riverof Onslow Bay, and from 14 + 13 (SD) estuaries in February (Hester 1975;to 892 + 689 (SD) in Beaufort Inlet Miller et al. 1984). The mechanism by(Kjelson et al. 1976). which the potlarvae move into the

tidal creeks and marshes is unclear.

The mean age and length of spot One speculation is that they stay onlarvae vary inversely with the the bottom during the day and on ebbdistance from shore (Kjelson et al. tides, moving to the surface at night

4

when flood tides carry them into tidal of 5-155 days, althouqh several fishcreeks and marshes 'Weinstein et al. moved 178-200 mi (Pacheco 1962b).1980). Spot may also move into thenursery areas of drowned river valleyestuaries (where the downstream GROWTH CHARACTERISTICSsurface flow of the less densefreshwater causes a displacement of Initial growth of larval spot offwater in the lower layers, resulting the North Carolina coast has beenin the movement of saltwater upstream reported to be about 7% of body lengthalong the bottom of the estuary). per day (Warlen and Chester 1985).However, neither of these mechanisms Average instantaneous growth ratesis important in shallow sounds with (in dry weight) of larvae are aboutnarrow inlets and low lunar tidal 0.20 pg/pg/day at 18-23 days of ageamplitudes such as those in Pamlico and decrease to about 0.14 pg/pg/daySound )liller et al. 1984). There, at 23-48 days (Warlen et al. 1979).the spot may move into the nurseries By the time spot move into coastalby bottom currents created when and estuarine waters, which arenorthwesterly winds build up water often cooler than 10 'C, growthagainst the barrier islands resulting rates decrease to less than 1.5% ofin a countercurrent flow in the body length per day (Warlen andopposite direction toward the nursery Chester 1985). In moving from inletsareas ('iller et al. 1984). Overall, to nursery areas in the Pamlico Sound,early postlarval spot probably have spot may increase from about 15 tu 20little direct control over their mm in length and 0.075-0.179 g in wethorizontal movements due to the weight (Miller et al. 1985). Butstrength of the horizontal currents, spot may be as small as 16 mm whenBut the vertical currents are usually they reach the nursery areas in theweak enough to allow postlarval spot James River, Va. (rIcCambridge andsome potential control over their Walden 1984). Currin et al. (1984),vertical movements; theFe in a literature review, reported thatmovements are, in turn, probably the instantaneous daily growth rates ofway they control their horizontal juvenile spot ranged from 0.021 todirection of migration (J. Miller, 0.040 g/g/d. Growth rates of spot inNorth Carolina State University, Rose Bay, N.C., have been estimated toRaleigh; pers. comm.). be 3% per day by weight (Miller 1985).

McCambridge and Walden (1984) reportedWhen spot first arrive in Rose that growth rates of spot (63-224 mm

Bay, N.C., they tend to occur mostly TL) range from 10.5 to 19.1 mmalong the shallow edges of the bay; TL/month.they disperse to all depths by April,but their densities remain greatest in Annual production of juvenilethe shallows (Currin 1984). In the spot in Rose Bay has been reported atChesapeake Bay and Albemarle Sound 7.5 g/m2, or 745 kg/ha, although itestuaries, young spot remain in the may be 10 times as high in areas nearestuaries until September or October, the headwaters (Miller 1985). Aboutand then migrate to the sea (Pacheco one-third of spot production in Rose1962a; Hester 1975). In Neuse River Bay is in the areas less than 1.75 mestuaries, most spot leave by June in depth, or about one-fourth of the(and probably move to Pamlico Sound) bay's area (Miller 1985). Currin etpresumably due to decreases in al. (1984) indicated that annual spotdissolvea oxygen (Hester 1975). production ranges from 0.25 to 7.51Movements of spot 150-255 mm in fork g/m 2 ; however, the large range inlength (FL) (based on tagging studies production is attributed not to growthwithin or between estuaries in the rate differences, but to differenceslower Chesapeake Bay) generally in the biomass (or numbers) of spotranged from 5 to 74 mi over a period present.

05

;,'ost spot are of age classes 0-I County, N.C., most of the spot landedfn 0 ew are older than III; in trawls between 1969 and 1971 (about

precominance of smaller fish may be an 463,000 pounds) were sold as scrapar t if act of collecting gear fish (Wolff 1972). Additionalinefficiency for larger spot (Pacheco incidental captures in shrimp trawls1962a). The largest spot reported was and with miscellaneous gears were360 m TL lRoss 1980). Lengths by age estimated to equal about 32 millionare variable and overlap: age-O, 80- pounds; although these fish wereISI !m; 3ge-1, 122-230 mm; age-2, 215- returned to the water, few are likely290 mm; aqe-3, 275 mm (Welsh and to have survived (Wolff 1972).3reder 1923; Hildebrand and Cable1930; Pacneco 1962a). North of the Chesapeake Bay,

combined catches of spot have not

Determinants of year-class reached 100,000 lb since 1958, and

strength have not been adequately from 1960 to 1965, the combined catch

investigated. Joseph (1972) suggested has been less than 1,000 lb (Joseph

that year-class strength is determined 1972).

by the time postlarvae enter theestuarine nursery grounds--indicatingt hat year-to-year population ECOLOGICAL ROLE

fluctuations are due to environmentalchanges at the spawning grounds or in Food

waters traversed by the larvae as Early stages of spot (1-10-nm, eatthey move toward the estuaries. ar y stages of spo -, latSince large-scale mortalities of plankton such as pteropods, larval

Sinc lage-cal motaltie of pelecypods, and cyclopoid copepodsjuveniles are not observed in the elecypodst and cyc)opo copepodsnursry rouns, educionin ppu- (Govoni et al. 1983). Spot 11-20 mmnursery grounds, reduction in popu- long feed primarily on calanoid,lation numbers occurs during larval harpacticoid and cyclopoid copepods,and post-larval stages. Significant mysids, and amphipods (Kjelson et al.numbers of juvenile spot, however, 1975; Livingston 1982; Currin 1984).are killed incidentally by trawlers In the process of migrating to thein Pamlico Sound, N.C. (Wolff 1972). estuaries from the Continental Shelf,

larval spot (and other species) maysignificantly decrease the zooplankton

COMFERClAL AND SPORT FISHERIES standing crop (Thayer et al. 1974).Juvenile spot are nonterritorial,

The commercial fishery for spot benthic, grazing generalists (Hodsonis concentrated along the Atlantic et al. 1981a ; Woodward 1981;coast from the Chesapeake Bay through Livingston 1982) that foragethe Carolinas (C. Mianooch, National effectively regardless of substrateMarine Fisheries Service, Beaufort, type (Gerry 1981)--though they preferN.C.; pers. comm.; B. Kelly, pers. sand or mud (Ross 1980; Cowan andcomm.). From 1972 to 1986, the Birdsong 1985). Juvenile spotlargest commercial landings of spot sometimes reduce benthic infaunalwere in North Carolina (Table 1). densities and species richnessMost of the fish presently landed (Virnstein 1977). In the York Riverthere are probably used for human estuary, as spot increase in size toconsumption (C. Manooch, per. comm.; greater than 20 mm SL. calanoids andB. Kelly, per. comm.). In North nematodes decrease in importance inCarolina, spot are primarily captured the diet while harpacticoids,in gill nets or haul seines (Wolff amphipods, and polychaetes increase1972);however, substantial numbe'. of in importance. All sizes of spotspot are landed in the scrap fisheries present eat bivalve siphons andin North Carolina, some of wnich are maldanid polychaete tails (Smithsold for industrial use. In Carteret et al. 1984). Juvenile spot in

6

Table 1. Commercial landings (thousands of pounds) of spot and their value(thousands of dollars) by state along the Mid-Atlantic coast, from 1972-86.(U.S. Dep. Commerce, and N.C. landings, N.C. Div. Marine Fisheries; unpubl. oata).

NY Nj- DEL MA VA NC

Year lbs $ lbs $ lbs $ lbs $ lbs $ lbs $

1972 * * 1 1 * * 74 12 2,951 322 3,902 3781973 * * 10 1 * * 27 5 2,576 361 5,398 6761974 * * 11 2 * * 37 5 2,251 349 5,607 6251975 * * 59 11 7 4 103 11 1,918 276 8,300 8611976 3 11 1 8 1.2 16 3 1,192 224 2,647 3481977 6 1 20 3 11 3 16 2 1,867 388 3,805 4691978 1.2 0.3 11 3 19 3 31 5 3.205 593 4,879 6271979 0.3 0.1 2 0.3 18 4 11 2 2,541 513 7,304 1,4301980 1 0.6 2 0.5 5 2 6 2 1,795 591 7,100 1,4941981 * * 6 3 11 3 14 5 1,025 411 3,511 3241982 * * 2 0.3 2 2 6 2 1,017 390 4,919 1,0801983 * * 0.8 0.4 * * 129 53 1,568 490 2,952 6851984 * * 0.1 0.02 * * 43 18 735 261 3,487 S141985 * * 2 0.4 17 5 8 4 1,562 574 4,044 8741986 * * 7 2 86 30 104 43 1,840 589 3,354 772

* None reported

the shallow bays of Pamlico Sound, spot (about 9-25 mm SL) and juvenileN.C., feed primarily on harpacticoids, spot (> about 25 mm SL) range fromnematodes, clam siphons, dipterans, 4.3% to 9.0% of body weight,probablyand polychaetes (Gerry 1981; Currin depending on food availability1984). (Kjelson et al. 1975; Kjelson and

Johnson 1976). Using these dailyAdult spot feed by scooping up ration values, Currin et al. (1984)

benthic sediments in their mouth, calculated mean consumption to be fromfollowed by chewing and then spitting 5.89 to 284.4 mg (dry wt)/m 2 daily.out unwanted material (Roelofs 1954).Their main diet consists of polychaete Predationannelids and copepods, with decapods,nematodes, and diatoms making up food Chaetognaths (arrow-worms) areitems of lesser importance (Roelofs one of the most abundant planktonic1954; Chao and Musick 1978). predators in the waters over theDifferent diets of spot in different Continental Shelf during and immedi-lccdLions are probably due to the ately after the winter spawning ofpresence of different prey types spot. But their predation on larval(Currin 1984). spot is thought to be less important

than their effect as a competitor forKjelson et al. (1975) reported food (Clements 1979). Large fish,

that larvae begin feeding at dawn, and which may be predators of juvenileattain a maximum gut content by about spot, usually live in the deeper areasmidday; however, Hodson et al. (1981a) of bays where salinities are stable,found that stomaLhs of spot (9-124 mm rather than in the shallower areasSL) are fuller at night than during where salinity fluctuates greatly;the day. Daily rations of postlarval however, spot occur in both deep and

07

shallow areas of bays (Gerry 1981; move away from their primary nurseryMiller et al. 1984). In Rose Bay, grounds due to their decreasedN.C., from mid-May to mid-July, the tolerance of salinity fluctuations asinstantaneous daily mortality of spot the fish age (Miller et al. 1984), andwas -0.0313--a large proportion of yet recent experiments indicate thatwhich was credited to predation in salinity fluctuations do not influencedeep areas of the bay (Currin 1984; juvenile spot distributions (MoserM iller et al. 1984). Spot are 1985).considered to be of some importance asa food for cormorants (Phalacrocorax For juvenile spot at 28 °Cauritus) and spotted seatrout exposed for I and 96 h, the LC5 07Cynoscion nebulosus) (Pearson 1928; values for dissolved oxygen are 0.49Thayer et al. 1976). Spot are also, and 0.70 mg/L, and the LC9 5 values areto a limited degree, a food source for 0.43 and 0.60 mg/L (burton et al.striped bass (Morone saxatilis) in 1980). Oxygen consumption by spotAlbemarle Sound, N.C. (Nanooch 1972); (respiration rate) increases with fishbut they have been a major component weight, swimming speed, and activityin the diet of striped bass in the (Neumann et al. 1981). Spot appear toChesapeake Bay (Hollis 1952). be more efficient oxygen consumers

than striped bass or white perch(Morone americanus) (Neumann et al.

ENVIRONMENTAL REQUIREMENTS 198TT-

Temperature, Salinity, and DissolvedOxygen Chemical Tolerances

Spot have been found attemperatures of 8-31 oC (Wolff 1976). Chemicals that reach theThe lower lethal temperature for spot estuarine system in runoff, in treatedis thought to be 4-5 oC, varying with sewage, and in water used to coolthe size of fish, the rapidity of the power plants may form compounds thattemperature drop, and the duration of are toxic to fish. The hatchingexposure (Dawson 1958). In the success of spot eggs tends to belaboratory, postlarval and juvenile inversely related to concentrations ofspct smaller than 25 mm SL have an 5-chlorouracil (a chloro-organicupper incipient lethal temperature of compound) at greater than 40 ppb35.2 oC at a salinity of 20 ppt. At (Warlen and Lewis 1976). In larvalincreasing salinities, time to death spot exposed to chlorine -producedincreases, but the lethal temperature oxidants at 0.47 ppm for 3-30 min at 9decreases (Hodson et al. 1981b). 'C, survival ranged from 80% to 100%.

When the temperature was raised to 12Spot have been found at oC with a concentration of 0.43 ppm,

salinities of 0-60 ppt (Hedgpeth 1967; however, survival fell from 40% to zeroWolff 1976; Cowan and Birdsong 1985). as exposure time increased from 5 toJuvenile spot in York River 30 min (Warlen and Lewis 1977). Intributaries occur primarily in creeks postlarval spot exposed to copper inwith salinities of 16 ppt or greater the form of CuCl 2 , toxicity increased(Smith et al. 1984). In Pamlico with time: LC5 0 values decreased fromSound, N.C., spot are most abundant in 0.59 mg Cu/L for 4 days of exposure,tributaries with relatively low to 0.16 mg Cu/L for 14 days ofsalinities (Spitsbergen and Wolff exposure (Engle and Thuotte 1976).1976). Early life history stages of The LC50 values based on pCu (negativespot appear to be able to tolerate log of the free cupric ion activity)relatively high salinity fluctuations ranged from 9.0 to 9.2 for egg to(Gerry 1981; Gilliam et al. 1985). hatching, and 8.4 to 8.6 for larvaeBut it has been speculated,that spot (Engle et al. 1975).

8

LITERATURE CITED

Burton, D.T., L. Richardson, and C. comparison of tidal and nontidalMoore. 1980. Effect of oxygen nursery areas. Estuaries 7:451-reduction rate and constant low 459.dissolved oxygen concentrations ontwo estuarine fish. Trans. Am. Dahlberg, M.D. 1976. Guide to coast-Fish. Soc. 109:552-557. al fishes of Georgia and nearby

states. University of GeorgiaChao, L.N. 1978. A basis for Press, Athens. 187 pp.classifying western AtlanticSciaenidae (Teleoste: Perci- Dawson, G.E. 1958. A study of theformes). U.S. Natl . Mar. Fish. biology and life history of theServ. Circ. 415. 64 pp. spot, Leiostomus xanthurus

Chao, L.N., and J.A. Musick. 1977. Lacepede, with special reference to

Life history, feeding habit and South Carolina. Contri. Bears

functional morphology of juvenile Bluff Lab. No. 28, pp. 48.sciaenid fishes in the York RiverEstuary, Virginia. U.S. Natl. Mar. Engle, D.W., W.G. Sundra, and R.M.Fish. Serv. Fish. Bull. 75:657-702. Thuotte. 1976. The effects of

cupric ion activity on the survivalClements, L.C. 1979. Preliminary of eggs and postlarvae of the spot,

studies on chaetognaths as plank- Leiostomus xanthurus. Pages 431-tonic predators of fish larvae. 436 in Atlantic EstuarineAnn. Rep. U.S. Natl. Mar. Fish. Fisher-Tes Center annual report toServ. Lab., Beaufort, N.C. the Energy Research and Development

Agency, U.S. Natl. Mar. Fish. Serv.,Cowan, J.H., and R.S. Birdsong. 1985. Beaufort, N.C.

Seasonal occurrence of larval andjuvenile fishes in a Virginia Engle, D.W., and R.M. Thuotte. 1976.Atlantic coastal estuary with The effects of copper on theemphasis on drums - (Family survival of postlarval fish. PagesSciaenidae). Estuaries 8:48-59. 423-430 in Atlantic Estuarine Fish

eries Center annual report to theCurrin, B.M. 1984. Food habits and Energy Research and Development

food consumption of juvenile spot, Agency, U.S. Natl. Mar. Fish. Serv.,Leiostomus xanthurus, and croaker, Beaufort, N.C.Micropogonias undulatus, in theirnursery areas. M.S. Thesis. North Fisheries of the United States, 1985.Carolina State University, Raleigh. U.S. Natl. Mar. Fish. Serv., Curr.103 pp. Fish. Stat. No. 8380. 122 pp.

Currin, B.M., J.P. Reed, and J.M. Gerry, L.R. 1981. The effects ofMiller. 1984. Growth, production, salinity fluctuations and salinityfood consumption, and mortality of gradients on the distribution ofjuvenile spot and croaker: a juvenile spot, Leiostomus xanthurus,

9

and croaker, Micropogonias Hildebrand, S.F., and W.C. Schroeder.*ndulaVis. M.S. Thesis. North 1927. Fishes of Chesapeake Bay.Carolina State University, Raleigh. Bull. U.S. Bur. Fish. 43:1-366.57 pp.

Hodson, '.G., J.u. Hackman, and C.R.Govoni, j.J. 1987. The ontogeny of Bennett. 1981a. Food habits ofdentition in Leiostomus xanthurus. young spots in nursery areas of theCopeia 1987:1041-1046. Cape Fear River estuary, North

Carolina. Trans. Am. Fish. Soc.Govoni, J.I., D.E. Hoss, and A.J. 110:495-501.Chester. 1983. Comparativefeeding of three species of larvalfishes in the Northern Gulf of Hodson, R.G., R.G. Fechelm, and R.J.Nexico: Brevoortia patronus, Monroe. 1981b. Upper temperatureLeiostomus xanthurus, and tolerance of spot, Leiostomus xanth-Micropogonias undulatus. Mar. Ecol. urus, from the Cape Fear River estu-Prog. Ser. 13:189-199. ary, North Carolina. Estuaries

4:345-356.Gunter, G. 1950. Correlation betweentemperature of water and size of Hollis, E.H. 1952. Variations in themarine fishes on the Atlantic and feeding habits of the striped bass,Gulf Coasts of the United States. Roccus saxatil is (Walbaum) inCopeia 1950:298-304. Chesapeake Bay. Bull. Bingham

Oceanogr. Collect. Yale Univ.Hata, D.N. 1985. Aspects of the life 14:111-131.

history and population dynamics ofthe spot, Leiostomus xanthurus, in Johnson, G.D. 1978. Development ofthe northwestern Gulf of Mexico (May fishes in the Mid-Atlantic Bight.1985). M.S. Thesis. Texas A&M Vol. IV. Carangidae throughUniversity. 88 pp. Ephippidae. U.S. Fish Wildl. Serv.

Biol. Serv. Program FWS/OBS-78/12.Hedgpeth, J.W. 1967. Ecological Pages 203-211.aspects of the Laguna Madre, ahypersaline estuary. Pages 383-389 Joseph, E.B. 1972. The status ofin G. H. Lauff, ed. Estuaries, the sciaenid stocks of the Middle

er ic an Association f or the Atlantic Coast. Chesapeake Sci.Advancement of Science Publ. No. 83. 13:87-100.

Hester, J.M. , Jr. 1975. Nektonpopulation dynamics in the Albemarle Kendall, A.W.,Jr., E.H. Ahlstrom, andSound and Neuse River estuaries. H.G. Moser. 1984. Early lifeM.S. Thesis. North Carolina State history stages of fishes and theirUniversity, Raleigh. 129 pp. characteristics. Pages 11-22 in

Ontogeny and systematics of fishes.Special Publication No. 1. American

Hettler, W.F., and A.B. Powell. 1981. Society of Ichthyologists andEgg ana larval fish production at Herpetologists. Allen Press Inc.,the NMFS Beaufort Laboratory, N. C., Lawrence, KS.USA. Rapp. P.-V. Reun. Cons. Int.Explor. Mer 178:501-503.

Kjelson, M.A., D.S. Peters, G.W.Thayer, and G.N. Johnson. 1975.

Hildebrand, S.F., and L.E. Cable. The general feeding ecology of1930. Fourteen teleostean fishes at postlarval fishes in the NewportBeaufort, N.C. Bull. U.S. Bur. River Estuary. U.S. Natl. Mar.Fish. 46:383-488. Fish. Serv. Fish. Bull. 73:137-144.

10

K jelson, M.A., and G.N. Johnson. the James River, Virginia.1976. Further observations of the Estuaries 7:478-480.feeding ecology of postlarvalpinfish, Lagodon rhomboides, and Miller, G.L., and S.C. Jorgenson.spot, Leiostomus xanthurus. U.S. 1973. Meristic characters of someNat]. Mar. Fish. Serv. Fish. Bull. marine fishes of the western74:423-432. Atlantic Ocean. U.S. Natl. Mar.

Fish. Serv. Fish. Bull. 71:301-312.

Kjelson, M.A., G.N. Johnson, R.L.Garner, and J.P. Johnson. 1976. Miller, J.M. 1985. The effects ofThe horizontal-vertical distribution freshwater discharge into primaryand sample variability of ichthyo- nursery areas for juvenile fish anoplankton populations within the shellfish: criteria for theirnearshore and offshore ecosystems of protection. Pages 62-84 in WaterOnslow Bay. Pages 287-341 in management and estuarine nurseries.Atlantic Estuarine Fisheries Center University of North Carolina Seaannual report to the Energy Research Grant Publication 85-2.and Development Agency, U.S. Natl.Mar. Fish. Serv., Beaufort, N.C. Miller, J.V. , J.P. Reed, ano

Lewis, R.M., and M.H. Judy. 1983. Pietrafesa. 1984. Patterns,The occurrence of spot, Leiostomus mechanisms and approaches to thexanthurus, and Atlantic croaker, study of migrations of estuarine-anhrupogas, andAlatic caroaer, dependent fish larvae and juveniles.Nicropo onias undulatus, larvae in Pages 205-225 in J.D. McCleave, G.P.Onslow Bay and Newport River ArnoId, J.J.-Johnson, and i.estuary, North Carolina. U.S. Nati.Arod Jj jhnnad ..Mar. Fish. Serv. Fish. Bull. Neill, eds. tMechanisms of migration81:405-412. in fishes. Plenum Press, New York.8:0 1 544 pp.

Livingston, R.J. 1982. TrophicLiv gszt on R . h Jn . 1982. coast Miller, J.M., L.B. Crowder, and M.L.organization of fishes in a coastal Moser. 1985. Migration andseagrass system. Mar. Ecol. Prog. utilization of estuarine nurseriesSer. 7:1-12. by juvenile fishes: an evolutionary

Manooch, C.S. 1972. Food habits of perspective. Contrib. Mar. Sci.Manoch, .S.27:338-342.

adult and yearling striped bass,

Morone saxatilis (Walbaum) from Moser, M.L. 1985. Effects ofAe male Sound, North Carol ina. salinity fluctuations on juvenileM.S. Thesis. North Carolina State estuarine fish. EstuariesUniversity, Raleigh. 94 pp. 8(2B):9A.

Markle, D.F. 1976. The seasonalityof availability and movements of Neumann, D.A., J.M. O'Connor, and J.A.fishes in the channel of the York Jerk, Jr. 1981. Oxygen consumptionRiver, Virginia. Chesapeake Sci. of wnite perch (Morone americanus),17:50-55. striped bass (M. sat 1lis) and spot

(Leiostomus xanthurus). Comp.Massman, W.H. 1954. Marine fishes in Biochem. Physiol. 69A:467-478.fresh and brackish waters ofVirginia rivers. Ecology 35:75-78.

Pacheco, A.L. 1962a. Age and growthof spot in lower Chesapeake Bay,

McCambridge, J.T., Jr., and R.W. with notes on distribution andWalden, I11. 1984. Growth of abundance of juveniles in the Yorkjuvenile spot, Leiostomus xanthurus River System. Chesapeake Sci.Lacepede, in the nursery region of 3:18-28.

11

Pacheco, A.L. 1962b. Movements of Spitsbergen, D.L., and M. Wolff.spot, Leiostomus xanthurus, in the 1976. Survey of nursery areas inlower Chesapeake Bay. Chesapeake western Pamlico Sound, NorthSci. 3:256-257. Carolina. Completion Rep. for

Project No. 2-175-R. N.C.Pearson, J.C. 1928. Natural history Department of Natural Resources,

and conservation of the redfish and Division of Marine Fisheries,other commercial sciaenids of the Morehead City, N.C. 80 pp.Texas Gulf. Bull. U.S. Bur. Fish.44:129-214. Stickney, R.R., and M.L. Cuenco.

1982. Habitat suitability indexPowell, A.B., and A.J. Chester. 1985. models: juvenile spot. U.S. FishMorphometric indices of nutritional Wildl. Serv. Biol. Serv. Programcondition and sensitivity to FWS/OBS-82/10.20. 13 pp.starvation of spot larvae. Trans.Am. Fish. Soc. 114:338-347. Thayer, G.W., D.E. Hoss, M.A. Kjelson,

W.F. Hettler, Jr., and M.W. LaPowell, A.B., and H.R. Gordy. 1980. Croix. 1974. Biomass of

Egg and larval development of the zooplankton in the Newport Riverspot Leiostomus xanthurus (Sciae- Estuary and the influence ofnidae). U.S. Nat]. Mar. Fish. Serv. postlarval fishes. Chesapeake Sci.Fish. Bull. 78:701-714. 15:9-16.

Raney, E.C., and W.C. Massman. 1953. Thayer, G.W., M.A. Kjelson, and T.J.The fishes of the tidewater section Price. 1976. Feeding habits ofof the Pamunkey River, Virginia. avian populations utilizing theJ. Wash. Acad. Sci. 43:424-432. estuarine area near Beaufort. Pages

356-363 in Atlantic EstuarineFisheries~enter annual report to

Roelofs, E.W. 1954. Food studies of the Energy Research and Developmentyoung scianid fishes, Micropogan Agency, U.S. Natl. Mar. Fish. Serv.,and Leiostomus from North Carolina. Beaufort, N.C.Copeia3TT =:--153.

Virnstein, R.W. 1977. The importanceRoss, S.W. 1980. Leiostomus of predation by crabs and fishes on

xanthurus Lacepede spot. Page 759 benthic infauna in Chesapeake Bay.TnW AtTas of North American Ecology 58:1199-1217.T-eshwater fishes. N.C. StateMus. Nat. Mist., 854 pp. Warlen, S.M., and C.W. Lewis. 1976.

A preliminary report on the effectsShenker, J.M., and J.M. Dean. 1979. of two chloro-organics on severalThe utilization of an intertidal estuarine organisms. Pages 405-411salt marsh creek by larval and in Atlantic Estuarine Fisheriesjuvenile fishes: abundance, enter annual report to the Energydiversity and temporal variation. Research and Development Agency,Estuaries 2:154-163. U.S. Natl. Mar. Fish. Serv.,

Beaufort, N.C.

Smith, S.M., J.G. Hoff, S.P. O'Neil,and M.P. Wein-tein. 1984. Com- Warlen, S.M., and C.W. Lewis. 1977.munity and trophic organization of Toxic effects of chlorine producednekton utilizing shallow marsh oxidants on grass shrimp and larvalhabitats, York River, Virginia USA. estuarine fishes. Pages 473-490 inU.S. NatI. Mar. Fish. Serv. Fish. Annual Report of Natl. Mar. FisKBull. 82:455-468. Serv. Lab., Beaufort, N.C.

12

Warlen, S.M., A. Powell, M. Boyd, P. larval fishes in an intensivelyHowland, M. Look, and D. Lewis. flushed tidal estuary, Cape Fear1979. Age and growth of larval spot River, North Carolina. U.S. Natl.(Leiostomus xanthurus) and Atlantic Mar. Fish. Serv. Fish. Bull. 78:419-menhaden (Brevoortia tyrannus) with 436.estimates of their spawning times.Pages 465-482 in Annual report of Welsh, W.W., and C.M. Breder. 1923.Natl. Mar. Fish. Serv. Lab., Contributions to life history ofBeaufort, N.C. Sciaenidae of the eastern United

States Coast. Bull. Bur. Fish.Warlen, S.M., and A.J. Chester. 1985. 39:141-201.Age, growth and distribution oflarval spot, Leiostomus xanthurus, Wolff, M. 1972. A study of the Northoff North Caroina. U.S. Natl. Mar. Carolina scrap fishery. N.C. Dep.Fish. Serv. Fish. Bull. 83:587-599. Nat. Econ. Resour. Div. Comm.

Sports Fish. Spec. Sci. Rep. No.Weinstein, M.P., and H.A. Brooks. 20. 29 pp.

1983. Comparative ecology of nektonresiding in a tidal creek and Wolff, M. 1976. Nursery area surveyadjacent seagrass meadow:community of the outer banks region.composition and structure. Mar. Completion Rep. for Project No. 2-Ecol. Prog. Ser. 12:15-28. 222-R. N.C. Department of Natural

Resources, Division of Marine

Weinstein, M.P. 1979. Shallow marsh Fisheries. Morehead City, N.C. 47

habitats as primary nurseries for PP.fishes and shellfish, Cape FearRiver, North Carolina. U.S. Natl.Mar. Fish. Serv. Fish. Bull. 77:339- Woodward, J.L. 1981. Enclosure357. studies of food resource parti-

tioning between juvenile spot andWeinstein, M.P., S.L. Weiss, R.J. croaker. M.S. Thesis. North Caro-

Hodson, and L.R. Gerry. 1980. lina State University, Raleigh. 42Retention of three taxa of post- pp.

* 13

5 0 2 7 2 - 1 0 1 _ _ _ _ __0_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _c c e sioN

REPORT DOCUMENTATION 1Ar PNo 2. . R.€,.., Acct.,on NoPAGE Biological Report 82(11.98)*'

4. Ttle eln S..l&till S. Reori Dole

Species Profiles: Life Histories and Environmental Requirements February 1989of Coastal Fishes and Invertebrates (Mid-Atlantic): Spot 6.

7.sAthoraa D.) L Performing Organization Rapt. MOJ.H. Phillips, M.T. Huish, J.H. Kerby, and D.P. Mbran

9. FPerformn Organizaion Nam. end Add ess b0. ProjOct/Tsk/Werk Unit No.

I.C. Cooperative Fishery Research Unit bNational Wetlands ResearchDepartment of Zoology, Box 7617 Center 11. COtact(C) or Grant(G No.North Carolina State University U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (,Raleigh, NC 27695 Slidell, LA 70458

(G)12. SoonsOnrin Organization Name and AddressU.S. Department of the Interior U.S. Army Corps of Engineers 13.TypeofRdp.rCoverdU.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Waterways Experiment StationNational Wetlands Research Center P.O. Box 631Washington, D.C. 20240 Vicksburg, MS 39180 14.

Is. S.Pplemilay Notes

*U.S. Army Coros of Engineers Report No.TR EL-82-4

I& Ab ltrcl (unt: 200 words)

Spot (Leiostomus xanthurus) is an important species to recreational fishermenand to the commercial fishing industry. Landings in Virginia are reported to benearly 2 million pounds annually and in North Carolina 3 to 7 million pounds.

Spot are distributed throughout the Mid-Atlantic area and their larvae arefound up to 63 nautical miles from land. The larvae are reported to metamorphose tothe juvenile phase near estuarine inlets and the juveniles appear in estuaries fromabout mid-December to mid-April where they remain until September or October. Thejuveniles may constitute 80%-90% of the total number of fish present in tidal creeksand seagrass meadows. Growth rates (weight) of juvenile spot vary but are reportlr'as 3% per day. Lengths of young-of-year were reported by various authors to beabout 80-181 mm; age-i, 122-230 mm; age-2, 215-290 mm; and age-3, 275 mm.Relatively few spot are over 3 years old. Their diet includes benthic fauna whichvaries with location. Spot may be eaten by a variety of predators, includingstriped bass.

Spot occur at temperatures ranging from 8-31 °C and at salinities of 0-66 ppt.They were shown to increase their oxygen consumption with weight, swimming speed andactivity. They appear to be more efficient consumers of oxygen than some majorestuarine species, such as the striped bass and white perch.

17. Document Analysis. Oescriptors

Fish FisheriesGrowth Feeoing HabitsSalinity Life CycleTemperature Oxygen

b. Idointifier/Open-Etdoed Terms

Leiostomus xanthurusSpotHabitat requirements

c. COSATI fnlId/Grq u

I. A.lillibity Statement It. Secmnty Class Chis Reort) 21. Me . Pae

Unclassified 13Unlimited Distribution I s". .i Class (his plkg) ZL l

Unclassified(See ANSI-Z29.211 POlTN AL OR. 272 (4-7?)

aesmoy NTIS-31)O o(Commode