An inventory of the estuarine fauna in the vicinity of Pensacola, Florida

Abstract

This faunal inventory of thePensacola Estuary, Florida, records 654 species of benthic and pelagic animals collectedsystematically from 1961 through 1963 and casually in other years. Samplingdates were correlated with approximate mid-points of spring rise and autumnal declineas well as annual extremes of water temperature. Biological sampling was coordinatedwith seasonal studies of hourly variation in salinity and water temperature duringsingle maximum amplitude tidal cycles recorded simultaneously at six stations alongthe salinity gradient. Data for each species include salinity of sampling station,habitat, season in which collected, and relative abundance.Predominant species were mollusks (184), annelids (91, chiefly polychaetes), arthropods(91, chiefly decapod crustaceans), and bony fishes (180). Spawning of aturbellarian, seven mollusks and 25 crustaceans, and breeding of horseshoe crabs arereported; limited data do not define duration of spawning or breeding seasons. Season.duration and intensity of setting of larvae of oysters, barnacles, bryozoans and serpulidworms in Santa Rosa Sound during 1962-63 and in Little Sabine Bay during1960-63 are also reported. (Document has 124 pages.)