The point of no return and pectoral angle of Japanese anchovy(Engraulis japonicus) larvae during growth and starvation

At a temperature of 23.0 - 24.8℃, the mixed feeding of Japanese anchovy larvae was initiated 24 h before the yolk-sac was exhausted. The point of no return （PNR） was reached on the 6th day after hatching. On the 4th day after hatching, the pectoral angle appeared in both fed and unfed anchovy larvae although it was more evident and sharper in the starved and the PNR stage larvae than in the fed ones. According to observations of larvae collected in the sea, the pectoral angles were evident not only in the larvae of 3.62 - 7.44 mm in standard length, but also in the larvae of 2.70 mm in standard length with remnants of yolk. The pectoral angles became diffuse when the larvae reached 7.84 mm and vanished at 9.86 mm. The pectoral angle cannot be used as a criterion to distinguish healthy from starving larvae.

Carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus stoichiometry in Japanese anchovy (Engraulis japonicus) from the Huanghai Sea, China

Generally, nutrient cycle is closely related to the element distribution in biomass and the popula- tion dynamics in ecosystems. Carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus in Japanese anchovy （Engraulis japonicus） of different body lengths from the Huanghai Sea （Yellow Sea） were determined to better understand their variability and reasons during its life history. The mean content was 45.12%, 10.12% and 2.02% for C, N and P, respectively. Significant differences in C, N and P elemental composition were found among different sizes, which could be explained by varying proportions of storage compounds in whole body fish, and varying degrees of ossification. Considering abun- dant resources in Japanese anchovy, it was an important P-pool in the cycle of P. Moreover, the excreted N/P ratio was significantly different in fishes of different sizes, especially at high gross growth efficiency. In the past two decades, overexploitation tended to cause smaller body length in the community structure of anchovy, which presumably changed the nutrient cycle in food webs of the Huanghai Sea. Exptrapolation of the results indicates that Japanese anchovy may be important for conveying nutrient in the Huanghai Sea.

Distribution characteristics of zooplankton biomass in the East China Sea

On the basis of the data of oceanographic survey in the East China Sea in four seasons during 1997-2000 (23°30'~33°00'N, 118°30'-128°E), the variation of total biomass and diet biomass of zooplankton and their spatial-temporal distribution and relationship with the fishing ground of Engraulis japonicus are approached and analyzed. The results show that the average biomass is 65.32 mg/m3 in four seasons, autumn (86.18 mg/m3) being greater than summer (69.18 mg/m3) greater than spring (55.67 mg/m3) greater than winter (50.33 mg/m3). The average value of diet zooplankton biomass is 40.9 mg/m3. The trends of horizontal distribution both in the total biomass and the diet biomass of zooplankton are similar. The high biomass region (250-500 mg/m3) is very limited, only accounting for 1% of the investigation area. Seasonal variation of the biomass is very remarkable in the west and north parts of East China Sea coastal waters ( 29°30'N,125°E). The horizontal distribution of diet zooplankton depends on the abundance distribution of crustacean. The distribution of diet zooplankton is related to the fishing ground of Engraulis japonicus and the high-density area of young fish and larval. In spring, the central fishing ground of Engraulis japonicus (>100 kg/h) and the high-density area of young fish and larval (>100 individuals per net) are located at the same place of high-density (100-250 mg/m3)area of diet zooplankton in the middle-southern part of East China Sea or the edge of its waters.