WINTER POPULATION OF LOLIGO PEALEI IN THE MID-ATLANTIC BIGHT

¹ Systematics-Ecology Program and Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, Massachusetts 02543

1. The distribution and relative abundance of L. pealei is reported from otter trawl sampling in the mid-Atlantic Bight during the late winter.

2. A lognormal frequency distribution of catches per tow suggests a "patchy" spatial distribution of L. pealei.

3. This species ranged from the southern edge of Georges Bank at least as far as Cape Hatteras in depths from 28 to 366 m.

4. Specimens of L. pealei were found to be especially concentrated in the central mid-Atlantic Bight at depths of 110-183 m.

5. The sizes of individual squid generally increased with depth, though there were mixtures of size classes in the 55-110 m depth zone.

6. L. pealei was found restricted mainly to water temperatures of 8° C or higher. This is related to the migration and summer distribution of the animal.

7. Conservative estimates of relative abundance of L. pealei in the mid-Atlantic Bight for the late winters of 1967 and 1968 are approximately 5 x 10⁷ individuals.

8. Biological observations indicate an annual regression of sexual development during the winter months, the possibility of an extended breeding season south of Hudson Canyon and a continued rapid growth rate of current year class squid through the first winter.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				J. J. C. Rosenthal and F. Bezanilla A comparison of propagated action potentials from tropical and temperate squid axons: different durations and conduction velocities correlate with ionic conductance levels J. Exp. Biol., June 15, 2002; 205(12): 1819 - 1830. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]