Ekau, Werner ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4844-9654, Hendricks, Alex, Kadler, Sabine, Koch, Volker and Loick, Natalie (2001) Winter ichthyoplankton in the northern Benguela upwelling and Angola-Benguela Front regions: BENEFIT Marine Science. South African Journal of Science, 97 (5). pp. 259-265.

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Abstract

This study describes horizontal and vertical distribution patterns of fish larvae in the Angola-Benguela Front and the Benguela upwelling areas in winter 1999. Stratified plankton samples were collected at 38 stations with a multiple opening-closing net. A total of 418 fish larvae was caught, 372 of which were found in the Angola-Benguela Front area. They were classified into 23 taxa with Trachurus trachurus, Merluccius sp. and Chloroscombrus chrysurus being the most abundant species. Mesopelagic fish were represented by a number of abundant species, among others Cyclothone sp., Diaphus sp. and Hygophum sp. Fish larvae in the Angola-Benguela Front area were concentrated near the coast in the southern part of the frontal zone, with the distribution pattern following the hydrodynamic regime of this area, where a strong frontal zone divided the transect into three parts: a northern part influenced by the warm Angola Current waters, a southern part dominated by the colder Benguela Current waters, and a central part with mixing water masses from both Angola and Benguela currents. Offshore abundances were very low, indicating that most species made use of the local current fields to maintain themselves inshore on the continental shelf. Only some of the pelagic species were found at the outer stations, indicating offshore transport by the Benguela and Angola currents.

Document Type:	Article
Programme Area:	PA Not Applicable
Research affiliation:	Ecology > Fisheries Biology
Refereed:	Yes
Open Access Journal?:	Yes
ISSN:	1996-7489
Date Deposited:	02 Oct 2025 09:30
Last Modified:	02 Oct 2025 09:30
URI:	https://cris.leibniz-zmt.de/id/eprint/3802

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