Eggs and larvae of the curvina Plagioscion squamosissimus (Heckel, 1840) (Osteichthyes, Sciaenidae) in the Baa River, Mato Grosso do Sul State, Brazil.

The aim of this work was to study the eggs and larvae of the curvina, specifically the examination of spatial and temporal variation, location of spawning and dispersal grounds and verification of the relationship between occurrence and environmental variables. Sixteen collection sites were established in the Baa River, Brazil, and grouped into four areas. Collections were carried out between February 1999 and April 2000. Spatial and temporal variations were analysed using ANOVA. Identification of the spawning and dispersal grounds was carried out using development stage distribution. The relationship between occurrence and the environmental variables was determined using Principal Components Analysis (PCA) and Pearson correlation. The eggs were found in every area practically every month, almost exclusively in the initial embryo stage, while the larvae occurred in every area mainly between October and April. The correlation between PCA scores and organism occurrence demonstrated that the highest catches occurred when the values of temperature, water level and rainfall were high and those of dissolved oxygen and pH were low. This specie spawns and develops in lentic areas, and the lotic stretch serves as a dispersal route through which the eggs and larvae are transported. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]