Tarpons

Stephen Spotte is Adjunct Scientist, Mote Marine Laboratory, Sarasota, Florida, USA. He holds a PhD in Biology from the University of Southern Mississippi, USA. Dr Spotte acts as consultant for a wide range of institutions across the USA and internationally, and has authored a large number of books and journal articles.

• Preface viiAcknowledgements xiSymbols and abbreviations xii1 Development 11.1 Introduction 11.2 The tarpon leptocephalus 11.3 Staging tarpon ontogeny 41.4 Development of Atlantic tarpons 101.5 Development of Pacific tarpons 241.6 Leptocephalus physiology 332 Growth 392.1 Introduction 392.2 The cube law 402.3 Sexually dimorphic growth 412.4 Condition 442.5 Growth rate 492.6 Modeling growth 522.7 Tarpon larvae 583 Spawning 593.1 Introduction 593.2 Fecundity and early survival 593.3 Where tarpons spawn 643.4 When tarpons spawn 683.5 Size and age at maturity – Atlantic tarpons 723.6 Size and age at maturity – Pacific tarpons 784 Recruitment 804.1 Introduction 804.2 Life in the plankton 804.3 Inshore migration 834.4 Offshore migration 854.5 Mechanisms of recruitment 884.6 Factors affecting recruitment 895 Breathing and respiration 965.1 Introduction 965.2 Water-breathing 975.3 Air-breathing 1005.4 Cardiovascular function 1085.5 Hypoxia 1135.6 Hypercapnia 1255.7 Air-breathing as social behavior 1266 Osmo- and ionoregulation 1286.1 Introduction 1286.2 Osmo- and ionoregulation 1306.3 Ionocytes 1326.4 Acid-base regulation 1366.5 Ammonia excretion 1376.6 Euryhaline transition 1416.7 Endocrine factors 1446.8 Eggs and larvae 1477 Ecology 1527.1 Introduction 1527.2 Habitats 1527.3 Predators of tarpons 1597.4 Environmental factors affecting survival 1627.5 Gregariousness 1667.6 Seasonal movements 1677.7 Feeding and foods 1748 Fisheries 1868.1 Introduction 1868.2 Recreational fisheries 1868.3 Handling 1908.4 Stress effects 1958.5 Commercial fisheries 2118.6 Aquaculture 2158.7 Populations 2198.8 Final note: whom should we save? 224Appendices 232References 286Index 323