Antarctic Larval Fish Assemblages: A Review

Larval fish assemblages are considered within the context of the unique ichthyofauna which evolved in Antarctic waters as a result of environmental cooling, glaciation, and isolation by the Antarctic polar front. Existing information on the larval fish assemblages is summarized. Distribution patterns of known assemblages in continental and island shelf areas are related to those of the adult stocks and to hydrographic features affecting dispersal of the component species. Finer scale distribution patterns of larval fish assemblages in relation to hydrographic conditions within areas of the Antarctic Peninsula, the Weddell Sea, and South Georgia are described.