Seasonal Occurrence of Atlantic Cutlassfish, Trichiurus lepturus, in Southeastern Florida with Notes on Reproduction and Stomach Contents

The Atlantic cutlassfish, Trichiurus lepturus, occurs in tropical and temperate waters including United States coastal waters. Although T. lepturus is an important commercial species, and its biology and ecology have been studied in various oceans, little research has been conducted in the western Atlantic. In the winter of 2005, T. lepturus were abundant in Port Everglades, Florida. Thirty-four of thirty-six fish, collected by hook and line were females and a gonosomatic index indicated a spawning interval during the months of January and February. However, during the same months in 2006 T. lepturus were absent or of low abundance