Zur Kenntnis des Ichthyoneustons im Nordwestafrikanischen Küstenwasser während des Winters

Off the NW-African coast in February 1973 neuston was sampled between latitudes 36° and 30° N as part of the CINECA multiship survey. The ichthyoplankton, fish larvae only, of these neuston samples was investigated under qualitative and quantitative aspects. Due to winterly environmental conditions and a more northern station-grid compared to the other "Meteor" expeditions, the total yield was low, for subtropical faunistic elements were absent or less abundant. The northern neritic part showed densities of only 3.0 fishes/100 m3 of water filtered, in the southern neritic zone maximum values occurred with 18.9 animals/100 m3, but even these values were far lower than those found in winter 1970, when surfacetemperatures and the amount of subtropical species were higher. The investigated area is considered to be a transitional zone between boreal and subtropical conditions under regional and seasonal aspects. For the most frequent taxa earlier findings on zoogeography, behaviour and ecology could be confirmed and completed