Reproduction of Micropogonias furnieri in a shallow temperate coastal lagoon in the southern Atlantic

The white croaker Micropogonias furnieri, in the coastal Rocha Lagoon, spawned during 5 months, in late spring and summer. It was eurythermic (gonad growth at 12.5 to 25.5 degree C, spawning at 20 to 27 degree C) and mesoxic (living at 5.2 to 9.1 mg l super(-1)). The spawning occurred in brackish (8-18 salinity), basic (c. 8 pH) and oxygenated (c. 8.0 mg l super(-1)) waters. The temperature appeared to be an important environmental factor affecting the timing of reproduction. The size at first maturity (19-20 cm) was 11-12 cm lower than the reported for the Rio de la Plata spawning area (Uruguay). Juveniles were observed throughout most of the year suggesting that the lagoon is also a nursery area. In Brazil, M. furnieri spawns in marine areas while in Uruguay it spawns in estuaries. This is the first time that a coastal lagoon of the subtropical and temperate western coast of the South Atlantic Ocean has been shown to be a spawning area of a marine species. Copyright 2002 The Fisheries Society of the British Isles. Published by Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.