Spatial Patterns of Larval and Juvenile Fish Assemblages in an Eddy Area in the Western South China Sea

The objective of this study was to investigate influence meso-scale eddies in the western South China Sea on species composition and spatial patterns fish larvae juveniles based data collected during summer autumn 2012. Nintyeight belonging 38 families were collected, including 78 41 autumn. dominant Vinciguerria sp. (39.70%), Stephanolepis cirrhifer (11.21%), Caranx (5.45%) Benthosema pterotum (1.97%). Gobiidae (15.32%), Ceratoscopelus townsendi (7.26%), Diaphus (6.45%), Astronesthes (5.65%) Callionymidae (4.03%). Abundance higher than that found Similarity cluster analysis results indicated larval assemblages can be divided into two communities: (1) cyclonic eddy; (2) anticyclonic eddies. While autumn, three without influenced slightly by (3) gathered near center eddy. variations abundance assemblage might attributed sea surface temperature (SST), salinity (SSS) level anomaly (SLA).