Ichthyoplankton community of the Dardanelles Strait, Turkey

An ichthyoplankton survey was conducted between March 2012 and February 2013 along the Anatolian coast of the Dardanelles Strait, with the aim of describing the species composition and temporal variation of fish eggs and larvae. For this purpose, monthly samples were collected at three sites using a WP-2 plankton net equipped with 500 µm mesh during a one-year period. Biodiversity indices were calculated to understand differences in biodiversity. A total of 50 teleost fish species belonging to 25 families and 7 orders were identified. The highest species richness of fish eggs was recorded in spring, whereas the highest species richness of fish larvae – in spring and summer. On the other hand, species richness of fish eggs and larvae were at a minimum in the fall. The most dominant species recorded in the Dardanelles were Sprattus sprattus as fish eggs and Engraulis encrasicolus as fish larvae. The relatively lower abundance of eggs and lack of earlier egg phases indicate that Engraulis encrasicolus does not spawn in the Dardanelles Strait, and the spawned eggs develop while drifting from the spawning grounds in the Marmara Sea to the sampling area.