Aboundance, Diversity and Distribution of Ichthyoplanktons in Creeks and Coastal Waters of Khouzestan Province

This study was carried out on Iranian coastal waters of Khouzestan province during 1995-98. Ichthyoplankton sampling was performed in order to determine its abundance, distribution and diversity. Monthly sampling was carried out from 12 fixed stations in Mahshar-Abadan creeks and 4 stations in west coasts of Khouzestan province waters, by a paired 500 micron Bongo net in oblique hauls from the bottom to the surface. Larvae of 21 families were identified in coastal waters. 16 families of fish larvae were also found in creeks. Most frequent larval families in the creeks were found to be Gobiidae (86%), Engraulidae (9.13%), Clupeidae (2.5%), and in west coasts, they were Gobiidae (49%), Engraulidae (14.5%) and Scianidae (7.8%). Other families were found to have a lower frequency and occured only in limited samples. There were distinct differences in fish families occured in two studied areas, although no significant differences were found in diversity of fish families there. The highest frequency of the larvae among most of the families was in March-August period. In the west coastal area, more than 50% of the total identified larvae occured in May, while in creeks, it was in April and June. Presence of larvae from different families showed significant differences. Grouping based on diversity and distribution by one way ANOVA showed the presence of two major spawning seasons in spring and autumn, plus two minor ones in summer and winter. Most of identified specimens were exclusive to neretic and intertidal zones, which live in soft clay substrate