(DRAFT) - Taxonomy
Species pinfish
Species Id TSNL010605
Date 26 AUG 96
TAXONOMY
NAME - pinfish
OTHER COMMON NAMES - bream, pin perch, sand perch, salior's choice, spined bream, chopa espina (Sp.), Sargo salema (Sp.), Sar saleme (Fr.), poisson beurre (Cajun) and butterfish
ELEMENT CODE -
CATEGORY - Fish
PHYLUM AND SUBPHYLUM - ,
CLASS AND SUBCLASS - Osteichthyes,
ORDER AND SUBORDER - Perciformes,
FAMILY AND SUBFAMILY - Sparidae,
GENUS AND SUBGENUS - Lagodon,
SPECIES AND SSP - rhomboides,
SCIENTIFIC NAME - Lagodon rhomboides
AUTHORITY - Linnaeus
TAXONOMY REFERENCES - 266
Taxonomy - 1 (DRAFT) - Status
Species pinfish
Species Id TSNL010605
Date 26 AUG 96
STATUS
Coded Status
Commercial/industrial
Migrant
Commercial/bait
See Comments
Commercial/consumption
REFERENCES FOR STATUS - 266 and 267
COMMENTS ON STATUS -
Because of its small size, the pinfish lacks widespread appeal. If prepared
while fresh, however, the fish is acceptably palatable. Commercial catch
statistics include the pinfish in the unclassified or industrial fish
category. Pinfish has a potential value as a baitfish and is preyed upon
many species of commercial and sport fishes. It is also a potential source
of fish meal. Pinfish have been used extensively as test fish in pesticide
bioassays and physiological experiments *266*.
The pinfish has little food value, is edible when cooked whole, or has a
fine flavor. Anglers have condemned pinfish for stealing bait from their
hooks. Pinfish caught by anglers for food and bait along the Mississippi
coast contributed less than 17% of the total catch in a July through
December sportfishing survey in the Mississippi Sound. Most of the pinfish
caught by headboat fishermen in Texas coastal bays and the Gulf of Mexico
are included in the sport catch. Pinfish are not listed in commercial
fishery statistics because they are combined with unclassified species or
industrial fish. They are caught incidentally in gill nets, trammel nets,
beach seines, traps, hook and line, and purse seines in the menhaden fishing
off the Mississippi River. Pinfish yield a high grade of oil but few, if
any, are now used for that purpose. Gillnet selectivity for pinfish has been
reported from St. Andrew Bay, Florida *266*.
Pinfish frequents grassy bays in warm weather and migrates to deeper water
in the colder months *267*.
The pinfish has a reputation as a "bait stealer" because of its nibbling
habit. It is commonly used for live bait, especially for tarpan. Pinfish
is edible but rarely reaches sufficient size to warrant keeping unless it is
cooked whole *267*.
Status - 1 (DRAFT) - Distribution
Species pinfish
Species Id TSNL010605
Date 26 AUG 96
DISTRIBUTION
Distribution - 1 HABITAT ASSOCIATIONS
HABITAT - aquatic
marine
REFERENCES FOR HABITAT - 266 and 267
LAND USE -
Water
Bays and Estuaries
REFERENCES FOR LAND USE - 266 and 267
NATIONAL WETLAND INVENTORY CODES
NWI NWICLS NWIMOD NWISPEC
Marine
Estuarine
REFERENCES FOR NWI - 266 and 267
COMMENTS ON HABITAT ASSOCIATIONS -
The pinfish is an abundant estuarine dependent fish that usually inhabits
vegetated marine bottoms, rocky reefs, jetties, and mangrove swamps. It is
so abundant and predaceous that it is believed to alter the composition of
estuarine epifaunal seagrass communities. When the larvae are about 11 mm
long, they begin moving into the estuaries. Juveniles migrate into
estuaries in the spring and summer. Juvenile pinfish in northwest Florida
marshes first appeared in estuaries in March. Small juveniles were most
abundant in vegetated, shallow flats of estuaries. Juvenile occasionally
have been collected in fresh waters. Young pinfish rarely venture outside
of seagrass-covered habitat into sand patches, except at night, when they
inhabitat open sandy bottoms. Adult pinfish have been reported to be
abundant in channels and vegetated flats, but they prefer open water. They
also prefer vegetated substrate *266*.
Pinfish frequents grassy bays in warm weather and migrates to deeper water
in the colder months. Pinfish are abundant in inshore waters. They have
been found to spawn in offshore waters. Small pinfish may be found far
inside bays *267*.
ANIMAL/PLANT SPECIES ASSOCIATIONS -
Seagrass
Ladyfish
Porpoise
Spotted seatrout
Alligator gar
Gulf flounder
Streptococcus sp.
Isopod (Lironeca ovalis)
Haematozoan (Haemogreyarina bigemina)
Speckled trout
REFERENCES FOR SPECIES ASSOCIATIONS - 266 and 267
COMMENTS ON SPECIES ASSOCIATIONS -
It is so abundant and predaceous that it is believed to alter the
composition of estuarine epifaunal seagrass communities *266*.
Habitat Associations - 1 Known predators on pinfish are ladyfish, porpoises, spotted seatrout
alligator gar and gulf flounder *266*.
Streptococcus sp. is the major disease of pinfish along the Alabama and
Florida coast. Major parasites are the isopod Lironeca ovalis and the
haematozoan Haemogreyarina bigemina *266*.
Spotted seatrout and speckled trout are predators of the pinfish *267*.
Habitat Associations - 2 (DRAFT) - Food Habits
Species pinfish
Species Id TSNL010605
Date 26 AUG 96
FOOD HABITS
TROPHIC LEVEL -
CARNIVORE
HERBIVORE/GRAZER
OMNIVORE
OTHER
REFERENCES FOR TROPHIC LEVEL - 266 and 267
LIFESTAGE FOOD FOOD PART
Adult Poaceae Not Specified
Larva Crustaceans Not Specified
Larva Copepods Not Specified
General Malacostraca Not Specified
Juvenile Malacostraca Not Specified
General Detritus Not Specified
General Plants Not Specified
Juvenile Branchiopods Not Specified
General Plants See Comments
General Algae Not Specified
General Osteichthyes Not Specified
General Poaceae Not Specified
General Molluscs Not Specified
General Bivalve Molluscs Not Specified
Important Plants Not Specified
REFERENCES FOR GENERAL FOOD - 266 and 267
REFERENCES FOR IMPORTANT FOOD - 267
REFERENCES FOR ADULT FOOD - 267
REFERENCES FOR JUVENILE FOOD - 266
REFERENCES FOR LARVAE FOOD - 266
COMMENTS ON FOOD -
In laboratory experiments, feeding intensity was greatest at a water
temperature of 24 oC. Feeding stopped at temperatures above 35 oC and below
6 oC. Stomach evacuation time at 24 oC was 28 to 37 h. The consumption
rate was about 0.05 calorie per milligram of fish per day. Pinfish change
their diet as they increase in size and tooth structure changes. At 16 to
20 mm long, when notched incisiform teeth usually appear, juvenile pinfish
fed on shrimp, mysids, and amphipods. The selection of amphipods by pinfish
16 to 80 mm long appears to be a function of macrophyte density. The five
major ontogenetic stages in pinfish diets appears to be primarily a
function of mouth size and changes in incisiform teeth. Pinfish
demonstrated planktivory, omnivory, strict carnivory, and strict herbivory
at different times, locations, and stages of development. An increase in
mouth width and height with an increase in pinfish body size enables pinfish
to capture a larger size of prey *266*.
Food Habits - 1 (DRAFT) - Food Habits
Species pinfish
Species Id TSNL010605
Date 26 AUG 96
The intensity of pinfish predation on amphipods in seagrass communities in
spring and summer probably limit amphipod abundance there. The consumption
of plant material and detritus by pinfish contributes to the export of
organic materials in estuaries, especially where eelgrass contributes up to
64% of the total primary production *266*.
Pinfish are carnivores and herbivores. They eat seagrass, algae, macro- and
microcrustaceans, mollusks, and fish. They are an a voracious feeder well
noted for its bait-stealing activities. The stomach contents of 8 pinfish
were examined. One of them contained razor clam shells and the other 7
contained plant material in the form of algae or grass. Lack of plant
material on the Gulf beach probably accounts for the absence of the pinfish
in that environment. Vegetable debris seems to be the most important food.
Evidently this fish is largely a grazer *267*.
COMMENTS ON ADULT FOOD -
Adults feed on grass *267*.
COMMENTS ON JUVENILE FOOD -
Juvenile pinfish 20 to 80 mm long selectively feed on amphipods in Apalachee
Bay, Florida. Pinfish, 15 to 19 mm long, in the Newport River estuary of
North Carolina, fed more heavily near mid-day when tidal currents were low
*266*.
At 16 to 20 mm long, when notched incisiform teeth usually appear, juvenile
pinfish fed on shrimp, mysids, and amphipods. The selection of amphipods by
pinfish 16 to 80 mm long appears to be a function of macrophyte density
*266*.
Young feed on the bottom *267*.
COMMENTS ON LARVAE FOOD -
Larval pinfish feed mainly on calanoid copepods *266*.
Food Habits - 2 (DRAFT) - Environment Associations
Species pinfish
Species Id TSNL010605
Date 26 AUG 96
ENVIRONMENTAL ASSOCIATIONS
G = General A = Adult
LIM = Limiting RA = Resting Adult
J = Juvenile FA = Feeding Adult
RJ = Resting Juvenile BA = Breeding Adult
FJ = Feeding Juvenile P = Pupae
L = Larvae E = Egg
RL = Resting Larvae
FL = Feeding Larvae
LIFESTAGE ENVIRONMENTAL ASSOCIATIONS
G Bottom Type [Aquatic]: Rooted aquatic vegetation
G Bottom Type [Aquatic]: Specified in Comments
G Coastal Features: Reefs
G Coastal Features: Specified in Comments
G Coastal Wetlands: Mangrove swamps
G Coastal Wetlands: Specified in Comments
BA Water Depth Preference: 100-200 ft.
BA Water Depth Preference: Specified in Comments
BA Water Temperature: Specified in Comments
L Estuarine habitat zone: specified in comments
J Estuarine habitat zone: specified in comments
J Coastal Wetlands: Specified in Comments
J Aquatic Vegetation [specified type]: Specified in comments
J Bottom Type [Aquatic]: Sand
J Bottom Type [Aquatic]: Specified in Comments
A Aquatic Vegetation [specified type]: Specified in comments
A Bottom Type [Aquatic]: Rooted aquatic vegetation
A Bottom Type [Aquatic]: Specified in Comments
A Substrate: Plants
A Substrate: Specified in Comments
A Aquatic Habitat Zonation: Open water [pelagic zone]
A Aquatic Habitat Zonation: Specified in Comments
J Water Depth Preference: Specified in Comments
J Water Temperature: Greater than 27 degrees C
J Water Temperature: Between 21-27 degrees C
J Water Temperature: Between 15-21 degrees C
J Water Temperature: Below 15 degrees C
J Water Temperature: Specified in Comments
FJ Water Temperature: Greater than 27 degrees C
FJ Water Temperature: Between 21-27 degrees C
FJ Water Temperature: Between 15-21 degrees C
FJ Water Temperature: Below 15 degrees C
FJ Water Temperature: Specified in Comments
G Water Temperature: Greater than 27 degrees C
G Water Temperature: Between 21-27 degrees C
G Water Temperature: Between 15-21 degrees C
G Water Temperature: Below 15 degrees C
G Water Temperature: Specified in Comments
J
G Dissolved Oxygen: Specified in Comments
Environment Associations - 1 (DRAFT) - Environment Associations
Species pinfish
Species Id TSNL010605
Date 26 AUG 96
LIFESTAGE ENVIRONMENTAL ASSOCIATIONS
G Bottom Type [Aquatic]: Rooted aquatic vegetation
G Bottom Type [Aquatic]: Specified in Comments
G
G Estuarine habitat zone: bay
G Estuarine habitat zone: specified in comments
G Aquatic Vegetation [specified type]: Specified in comments
J Water Depth Preference: Specified in Comments
G Water Depth Preference: Specified in Comments
G Aquatic Vegetation [specified type]: Specified in comments
J Aquatic Vegetation [specified type]: Specified in comments
J Estuarine habitat zone: bay
J Estuarine habitat zone: specified in comments
G Water Depth Preference: 10-25 ft.
G Water Depth Preference: 25-50 ft.
G Water Depth Preference: Specified in Comments
G Water Temperature: Greater than 27 degrees C
G Water Temperature: Between 21-27 degrees C
G Water Temperature: Between 15-21 degrees C
G Water Temperature: Below 15 degrees C
G Water Temperature: Specified in Comments
G Turbidity: Specified in Comments
G Human Association: Specified in Comments
G Bottom Type [Aquatic]: Rooted aquatic vegetation
G Bottom Type [Aquatic]: Specified in Comments
G
G
G
G
G
G
G
G
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
J
J
J
J
J
J
L
L
L
L
L
L
Environment Associations - 2 (DRAFT) - Environment Associations
Species pinfish
Species Id TSNL010605
Date 26 AUG 96
LIFESTAGE ENVIRONMENTAL ASSOCIATIONS
L
L
FJ Aquatic Habitat Zonation: Specified in Comments
BA Water Temperature: Specified in Comments
REFERENCES FOR ENVIRONMENTAL ASSOC_ - 266 and 267
REFERENCES FOR ADULT ENVIRONMENTAL ASSOC_ - 266 and 267
REFERENCES FOR FEEDING ADULT ENVIRONMENTAL ASSOC_ - 266
REFERENCES FOR BREEDING ADULT ENVIRONMENTAL ASSOC_ - 266 and 267
REFERENCES FOR JUVENILE ENVIRONMENTAL ASSOC_ - 266 and 267
REFERENCES FOR FEEDING JUVENILE ENVIRONMENTAL ASSOC_ - 266 and 267
REFERENCES FOR LARVAE ENVIRONMENTAL ASSOC_ - 266 and 267
COMMENTS ON ENVIRONMENTAL ASSOCIATIONS -
POLLUTANTS: In bioassays, pinfish were highly sensitive to the pesticide
Antimycin A at 7 ppb, as well as PCB's and mirex. Petrochemical wastes
from a Corpus Christi turning basin depressed respiratory rates of the
pinfish and caused up to 10% mortality *266*.
WATER TEMPERATURE: Pinfish in estuaries tolerate water temperatures of 10
to 35 oC. The upper temperature tolerance of pinfish is about 33 oC. In
fall, pinfish migrate from estuaries to offshore spawning sites. Water
temperature has been suggested as the major factor triggering emigration.
Pinfish are relatively active at 7.6 oC. Large pinfish were killed on the
east coast of Florida when surface water temperatures dropped to 4 oC.
Larger numbers of pinfish died during a severe cold spell in Copano Bay,
Texas *266*.
Higher water temperatures increase erythrocyte abundance and hematocrit in
pinfish. High temperatures increased hemoglobin concentration and red
blood cell counts but decreased hematocrit and mean erythrocyte volume
*266*
Pinfish were collected in water temperatures of 13.8 - 27.5 oC. Another
study found the fish in a range of 27.2 to 31.6 oC. Another study found
them in 9.1 - 34.9 oC range *267*.
Pinfish can tolerate lower temperatures. Pinfish may burrow in the bottom
when exposed to cold, and presumably this habit has survival value *267*.
SALINITY: Pinfish live in waters with salinities as low as 1 ppt and as
high as 75 ppt, and, in Florida, some enter freshwater. In the northern
Gulf of Mexico, pinfish tolerate salinities of 0 to 37.5 ppt *266*.
Common all year round in moderate to high salinity waters. Pinfish have
Environment Associations - 3 (DRAFT) - Environment Associations
Species pinfish
Species Id TSNL010605
Date 26 AUG 96
been found in salinities ranging from 25.0 - 32.3 ppt, with a mean of 29.3
ppt. Pinfish were caught in water ranging from 2.1 to 37.2 ppt salt.
This fish is rather indifferent to the salinity of water. No relation
between the size of the fish and the salinity of the water was detected
*267*.
Pinfish are known to enter freshwater. They are found in all salinities in
summer. In winter, they die quickly when trapped in hypersaline waters
*267*.
Pinfish have taken below a salinity of 5.0 ppt *267*.
In attempting to predict monthly average weight of the pinfish, regression
analysis showed that salinity was the most improtant variable *267*.
DISSOLVED OXYGEN: Respiration studies on pinfish weighing 0.013 to 240 g
revealed lower rates of oxygen consumption in smaller fish and indicated
that the relation between body size and respiration rate depended on the
life history stage of the fish. The metabolism-weight regression (K) for
fish of different weight was 0.99 for fish weighing less than 0.2 g, 0.15
for fish weighing 0 to 10 g, and 0.73 for fish above 10 g. Oxygen
consumption rates were related also to temperatures and swimming
velocities. Oxygen-carrying capacity of pinfish blood increases in
response to lowered environmental oxygen, increased exercise, and increased
salinity but does not compensate entirely for the increased respiratory
demand caused by these changes *266*.
LIGHT: Diel distribution of pinfish in experimental cages in a thermal
effluent channel was directly related to low ambient light conditions
governed by the time of day and turbidity. Pinfish fed during daylight
*266*.
SUBSTRATE: Pinfish prefer vegetated bottoms in Gulf of Mexico estuaries
and along the southeast Atlantic coast. Most fin-clipped pinfish in
mark-recapture studies inhabited grass flats until they migrated out of the
estuary in late summer and fall. Pinfish are usually active foragers and
make no attempt to conceal themselves, but can burrow into sand when
startled. The abundance and type of submerged vegetation in estuaries
depends on bottom type, turbidity, salinity, water temperatures, bottom
slope, and tidal range. Nearly 50% of the estuarine bottoms along the
southern Florida gulf coast are covered by submerged vegetation which may
account for the high abundance of pinfish there. The abundance of
submerged vegetation decreases northward and covers only 5% of the bottom
in coastal waters of the Florida panhandle and the northern gulf coast. Of
about 800,000 acreas of submerged estuarine vegetation along northern Gulf
of Mexico coastline, 63% is in Florida and 31% in lower Texas *266*.
PRESSURE: Pinfish exhibit a yawn reaction within 0.5 to 2.0 minutes in
response to a 0.5 cm3 volume pressure increase; consequently, they can be
expected to react to tidal changes to maintain buoyance drift. Pinfish
adapted to gradient chambers established a base reference point to which
they reacted within 0.1 sec to pressure changes of less than 0.5 cm water
pressure. In thermal effluents pinfish detected and avoided supersaturated
(total gases) surface waters by seeking deeper waters *266*.
Environment Associations - 4 (DRAFT) - Environment Associations
Species pinfish
Species Id TSNL010605
Date 26 AUG 96
SOUND: When held out of the water, pinfish make a scraping sound by
sliding the upper and lower incisor teeth, but no evidence of underwater
sound attributable to pinfish were detected. The critical masking ration
for auditory analysis falls within the band width measured for mammals,
including man *266*.
HABITAT: The pinfish is an abundant estuarine dependent fish that usually
inhabits vegetated marine bottoms, rocky reefs, jetties, and mangrove
swamps *266*.
Pinfish frequents grassy bays in warm weather and migrates to deeper water
in the colder months *267*.
One of the most common inshore fishes except in the highly turbid brackis
wters of western Louisiana, the pinfish is usually found around wharves and
pilings and over grass flats *267*.
Pinfish are commonly abundant in Thalassia beds. Changes in densities of
large pinfish from area to area coincide with changes in grass density from
area to area *267*
DEPTH: In a study conducted in the spring and summer, all pinfish were
taken in 3 and 6 fathoms, indicating a shallow Gulf habitat *267*.
COMMENTS ON ADULT ENVIRONMENTAL ASSOC_ -
Oxygen consumption of adult pinfish in laboratory respirometers increases
with an increase of water temperature from 5 to 30 oC, especially above 20
oC. Metabolism increases with water temperatures up to 33 oC *266*.
Adult pinfish have been reported to be abundant in channels and vegetated
flats, but they prefer open water. They also prefer vegetated substrate.
Pinfish were most abundant at night when tidal currents were low and where
aquatic vegetation was abundant. Pinfish select cover or rest on the
bottom at night under offshore platforms but they are free-swimming during
the day *266*.
Adults occur in 0.1 - 75 ppt. Juveniles and adults occur together in 2.1 -
37.2 ppt *267*.
COMMENTS ON FEEDING ADULT ENVIRONTAL ASSOC_ -
Food evacuation rates in pinfish decreased as water temperature declined
from 30 oC to 12 oC; all feeding ceased at 6 oC *266*.
COMMENTS ON BREEDING ADULT ENVIRONMENTAL ASSOC_ -
Three large schools with ripe females were observed near the surface in
waters about 38 m deep. Spawning location is probably related more to
depth and water temperature than to distance offshore *266*.
Pinfish breed at the time of falling or low temperatures *267*.
COMMENTS ON JUVENILE ENVIRONMENTAL ASSOC_ -
Oxygen consumption of juvenile pinfish in laboratory respirometers
increases with an increase of water temperature from 5 to 30 oC, especially
Environment Associations - 5 (DRAFT) - Environment Associations
Species pinfish
Species Id TSNL010605
Date 26 AUG 96
above 20 oC. Metabolism increases with water temperatures up to 33 oC. The
swimming speed of juvenile pinfish increased up to 11 times their body
length per second in relation to increased temperature *266*.
Juvenile pinfish leave northwest Florida marshes before surface water
temperatures reached 41 oC in June *266*.
No relation was found between salinity or temperatures and the arrival of
juvenile pinfish in estuaries. Juvenile pinfish are less able to withstand
thermal shock if salinity also changes, i.e., they suffered from a
temperature-salinity synergistic interaction effect. For example, at a
salinity of 15 ppt, no mortality was reported for juveniles after being
exposed 40 min to water temperature increased to 32 oC, but a mortality of
about 20% was observed when the water temperature was 12 oC and the
salinity increased from 20 to 30 ppt *266*.
Juvenile pinfish approached sandy bottom substrate only at night, whereas
larger pinfish rested at night in cover and on the bottom at offshore
platforms. Juvenile pinfish fed most heavily at mid-day *266*.
Juveniles migrate into estuaries in the spring and summer. Juvenile
pinfish in northwest Florida marshes first appeared in estuaries in March.
Small juveniles were most abundant in vegetated, shallow flats of
estuaries. Young pinfish rarely venture outside of seagrass-covered
habitat into sand patches, except at night, when they inhabit open sandy
bottoms *266*.
Juveniles usually inhabit the shallow estuaries but when surface water
temperatures exceed 32 oC, most seek the deeper, cooler water of channels
*266*.
Young are found in grass flats in all Texas bays and in the Gulf of Mexico.
Small pinfish may be found far inside bays *267*.
Juveniles occur in 11 - 75 ppt. Juveniles and adults occur together in 2.1 -
37.2 ppt *267*.
COMMENTS ON LARVAE ENVIRONMENTAL ASSOC_ -
Larval pinfish mortality is high at temperatures below 4 oC in North
Carolina. Pinfish larvae withstood 12 oC temperature shocks at acclimation
temperatures of 5, 10, 15 oC, but 18 oC was fatal *266*.
No nocturnal-diurnal differences in catches of larval pinfish in
experimental gear were reported *266*.
In a study, larval pinfish were collected near the surface offshore from
Beaufort, North Carolina. When the larvae are about 11 mm long, they begin
moving into the estuaries *266*.
Larvae occur in 1 - 45.3 ppt salinity *267*.
Environment Associations - 6 (DRAFT) - Life History
Species pinfish
Species Id TSNL010605
Date 26 AUG 96
LIFE HISTORY
MORPHOLOGY/IDENTIFICATION AIDS: Dorsal spines XII, soft rays 11; anal
spines III, rays 11; scales 65-70 in lateral line; 10 rows above and 17 rows
below the lateral line. Twelve dorsal rays and 53 to 68 scales in the
lateral line. Body oval and compressed. Mouth comparatively small, 2.75 to
3.1 times in head length; maxilla reaches only to below the anterior margin
of the eye. Both jaws have eight broad, deeply notched, jaws have eight
broad, deeply notched, incisorlike teeth anteriorly and have 2.5 rows of
molarlike teeth laterally. A single small foward-directed spine precedes
the 12 spines of the dorsal fin. The body is olivaceous above; the
bluish-silver sides have yellow longitudinal stripes broader than the
interspaces. A dark shoulder spot is near the origin of the lateral line.
Six dark, diffused, vertical bars mark the body. Anal and forked caudal
fins are yellow with broad light-blue margins. A montypic genus *266*.
SPAWNING: The time and location of spawning of the pinfish described here
are inferred by the abundance and location of ripe females and newly hatched
larvae taken by experimental gear near the surface in offshore waters. For
example, in one area off the Mississippi coast, three large schools of more
than 1,000 pinfish each were observed near the surface in waters about 38 m
deep. All females sampled with a cast net were ripe and may have been
spawning. Spawning location is probably related more to depth and water
temperature than to distance offshore. Small pinfish have been collected in
January along the Texas coast near passes in the open gulf. Although
spawning concentrations of pinfish were observed off the Mississippi coast
in winter, spawning there peaked in the fall. Most studies in the gulf
have indicated offshore spawning in the fall and early winter. In Florida
coastal waters, most spawning is in February through March *266*.
The spawning season has been well established as occurring in late fall and
winter offshore. A study reports that the spawning season is from October
to March. They may also spawn at the snapper banks. Ripe males have been
taken in the Port Aransas vicinity in late October. The fish probably
spawns in the open Gulf near the passes *267*.
EGGS AND FECUNDITY: The diameter of pinfish eggs in different samples
ranged from 0.90 to 0.93 mm and 0.99 to 1.05 mm. The eggs usually have a
single oil globule and a very narrow perivitelline space. In the laboratory
immature and infertile eggs sank to the bottom of finger bowls; whereas,
fertile eggs were semibuoyant. Larvae that hatched after a 48-h incubation
at 18 oC were 2.3 mm. Eggs with more than one oil droplet present did not
hatch. A 157-mm long female collected in Florida in late November contained
an estimated 90,000 eggs. A study estimated 7,700 to 39,200 (average
21,600) eggs in eight pinfish 111 to 152 mm standard length *266*.
LARVAE AND POSTLARVAE: The yolk sac was visible 24 h after hatching and was
completely absorbed by the time the larvae were about 2.7 mm long. The
mouth began to develop after 96 h, when the larvae were about 3 mm long.
Soft rays first appear when the larvae are 5 to 7 mm long and spines begin
to differentiate when the larvae are 8 to 10 mm long. The caudal fin
becomes rounded when the larvae are 8 to 10 mm, square-ended at 12 mm, and
concave at 14 mm TL. Teeth are formed by the time the larvae are 10 mm long
Life History - 1 (DRAFT) - Life History
Species pinfish
Species Id TSNL010605
Date 26 AUG 96
and scales first form when the larvae are 15 mm long. When the larvae are
about 11 mm long, they begin moving into the estuaries. Larvae 11 to 18 mm
long were collected from December through March in plankton tows at Dog Keys
Pass off Horn Island in the Mississippi Sound and from late November through
January near Cedar Key, Florida *266*.
Larvae are widespread both alongshore and offshore in February and March,
but no larvae have been found in May *267*.
JUVENILES: Juveniles (15-100 mm long) migrate into estuaries in the spring
and summer. When the fish are 16 to 20 mm long, notched incisiform teeth
appear outside a row of conical teeth and gradually replace the conical
teeth. When the fish are 30 mm long, the color pattern is similar to that
of the adult, and when they are about 44 mm long, the caudal fin becomes
more deeply forked and the pectoral fin increases disproportionately in
length. Most pinfish become sexually mature at lengths of 80 to 100 mm. In
the Mississippi Sound, first year juveniles begin to migrate into the
estuaries in March and increase in abundance there until May. Juvenile
pinfish in northwest Florida marshes first appeared in estuaries in March
and increased in numbers until June when all juveniles moved offshore.
Juveniles first appeared in January in the inshore waters of Cedar Key,
Florida, and in January to March, juveniles had moved into Aransas Bay and
Copano Bay, Texas. Small juveniles (20-80 mm long) were most abundant in
vegetated, shallow flats of estuaries. Juveniles occasionally have been
collected in fresh waters. Young pinfish rarely venture outside of
seagrass-covered habitat into sand patches, except at night, when they
inhabit open sandy bottoms *266*.
ADULTS: Adult pinfish have been reported to be abundant in channels and
vegetated flats, but they prefer open water. Another study reported that
adult pinfish prefer vegetated substrate. Trawl catches of pinfish in
Whitewater Bay, Florida, were highest at night when tidal currents were low
and where aquatic vegetation was abundant. Pinfish select cover or rest on
the bottom at night under offshore platforms near Panama City, Florida, but
they are free-swimming during the day. Most pinfish in Florida mature in
their second year of life (the smallest mature female was 128 mm long) and
first spawn in third year (age 2), but pinfish in northwest Florida spawned
late in their first and second year of life and all mature fish were 110 mm
SL or longer. Most pinfish mature during the fall offshore spawning
migration or at offshore spawning sites. Catches of pinfish with
experimental fishing gear give some idea of their size range. Those caught
in gill nets near Panama City, Florida, ranged from 115 to 240 mm FL and
averaged 160 mm. In trawl samples in shallow water, only about 1% were
longer than 100 mm SL and none exceeded 128 mm SL *266*.
MIGRATION: After hatching in offshore waters in fall and winter, larval
pinfish migrate into the estuaries where they grow in the summer. Larval
pinfish exhibited higher relative abundance than diurnal abundance.
Juveniles usually inhabit the shallow estuaries but when surface water
temperatures exceed 32 oC, most seek the deeper, cooler water of channels.
Pinfish migrate out of the estuaries in late fall to their spawning grounds
where they congregate into size groups. Large pinfish left shallow flats
when water temperatures dropped below 10 oC, whereas some juveniles remained
Life History - 2 (DRAFT) - Life History
Species pinfish
Species Id TSNL010605
Date 26 AUG 96
inshore. Adults were reported to be abundant in January and February and in
December through February in St. Andrew Bay, Florida *266*.
GROWTH CHARACTERISTICS: Pinfish embryos develop rapidly in the egg. Yolksac
larvae are 2.3 mm long 48 h after emergence and 2.9 mm long when their yolk
sac is absorbed. The larvae begin to migrate shoreward when they are about
11 mm long and grow from 18 mm in March to 52 mm by June in northwest
Florida. In northwest Florida, the daily growth of age 0 pinfish was 0.32 mm
in spring, 0.23 mm in summer, and 0.1 mm in fall. Daily growth of age 1 fish
was 0.32 mm in spring, 0.21 mm in the summer, 0.04 mm in the fall, and 0.02
mm in the winter. The annual daily growth rate was 0.12 mm. The growth
increment was 65 to 110 mm at the end of their first year (age 0); 55 mm at
the end of the second year (age 1), and 45 mm at the end of the third year
(age 2). The annulus formed on scales in April of the second year of life
(age 1). Age 1 pinfish in Texas were 103 to 143 mm long in May. Maximum
lengths of pinfish reported in the literature were 400 mm and 343 mm; 365 mm
TL in Louisiana; 330 mm and 245 mm in North Carolina; 250 mm in
Texas-Louisiana; and 240 mm FL in Florida. Conversion factors calculated
from 100 pinfish were standard length (SL) = 0.85 fork length, and 0.78
total length. A length-weight equation is calculated Log Wt(g) = -4.3734 +
2.9136 Log L(SL); and another equation is Log Wt(g) = -4.353 + 2.903 Log
L(SL). Larval pinfish length-weight relationship was Wt(g) = 0.0089 TL (exp
2.81) *266*.
The average length of pinfish is 6 to 8 inches but they sometimes reach 14
inches. They have been found up to 437 mm *267*.
The smaller specimens in a study first came into the catch in January and
continued to come in until March. They were from 13 to 33 mm long. A few
large fish from 103 to 148 mm long were also taken in January and throughout
the summer. The size of the fish increased from April to October. During
the latter month the size of fish caught was from 63 to 203 mm. In May the
length of the fish were found to be 103 to 143 mm, and, in June, from 43 to
103 mm. By July these two groups had practically fused and the smallest fish
was 58 mm long. The upper size limit began to decrease in September, while
the lower continued to increase and by November, the fish caught measured
from 93 to 128 mm long *267*.
FOOD HABITS: The high abundance of pinfish in many inshore coastal waters
and estuaries is certain to have broad ecological effects on the aquatic
flora and fauna. Pinfish are numerically dominant among fish in seagrass
habitat in shallow subtidal area of Gulf of Mexico and the southeast
Atlantic coast. The intensity of pinfish predation on amphipods in seagrass
communities in spring and summer probably limit amphipod abundance there.
The consumption of plant material and detritus by pinfish contributes to the
export of organic materials in estuaries, especially where eelgrass
contributes up to 64% of the total primary production. On the basis of
routine metabolism, pinfish use 1.7% of the total yearly energy available to
secondary consumers in the Newport River estuary in North Carolina. Pinfish
are valuable forage for larger fishes in estuaries, and are useful as bait
*266*.
The pinfish is a grazer *267*.
Life History - 3 (DRAFT) - Life History
Species pinfish
Species Id TSNL010605
Date 26 AUG 96
HABITAT: Pinfish are commonly abundant in Thalassia beds. Changes in
densities of large pinfish from area to area coincide with changes in grass
density from area to area. Juveniles are slightly nocturnal in its
occurrence in the grass beds. This habit changed in larger individuals to a
strong diurnal tendency *267*.
OCCURRENCE: The fish was taken in least numbers in the winter and spring
months, especially in December, and found to be most abundant in the summer
and early fall, especially in August and September. The fish were not caught
in Copano Bay from December to March inclusive and were scarce in Aransas
Bay in December. The pinfish was taken only in the Gulf in November and
January *267*.
POPULATIONS: Populations of the pinfish were small in late fall, winter, and
spring, with large populations occurring during the warm months of July,
August, and September. Average water temperature and cloud cover were the
most important variables in predicting monthly populations of pinfish. The
pinfish was found to be more abundant durig the day than during the night
*267*.
POLLUTION: By means of multiple regression equations the observed oxygen
consumption rates were related to body weights, temperatures, and swimming
velocities for fish acclimated in both unpolluted and slightly polluted
waters over the temperature ranges of 10-20 C and 20-30 C and at the single
temperature of 20 C. Under normal conditions the pinfish seems to have quite
high rates of oxygen consumption compared to temperate species. In all cases
the slightly polluted water caused a depression of respiratory levels.
Altered oxygen consumption levels are primarily under the influence of
pollution and not salinity or oxygen levels. It is generally recognized that
low dissolved oxygen levels associated with pollution depress locomotor
activity and growth, with the relatively greater depression at the higher
temperatures. For the smaller fish there is a rather uniform and linear rise
in oxygen consumption with temperature for active and inactive levels and
for polluted and unpolluted waters; while for the larger fish there is a
much more obvious depression in the polluted waters at both the 30 C and 10
C extremes *267*
The abundance of pinfish on a grass flat are of Redfish Bay, Texas,
increases rapidly in late winter, reaches a spring peak and declines through
the remainder of the summer and fall to low levels in winter. Pinfish are
absent altogether during brief periods in mid-summer and mid-winter when
temperatures exceed lethal levels. Nearby deeper channels provide refuge at
these times. Metabolic rates of the pinfish are effectively temperature
compensated. Metabolic depression is evident at temperatures near lethal
limits and depression was observed at periods when movements to other more
favorable areas occurred. The period of rapid growth corresponds to times
of maximum pinfish density on the grass flats and growth proceeds at a low
rate during winter *267*.
LIFE HISTORY CODES -
Breeding/Spawning Season: February
Breeding/Spawning Season: March
Life History - 4 (DRAFT) - Life History
Species pinfish
Species Id TSNL010605
Date 26 AUG 96
LIFE HISTORY CODES -
Average Number of Offspring/Reproductive Effort: 1,00
Average Number of Offspring/Reproductive Effort: Grea
Breeding/Spawning Season: October
Breeding/Spawning Season: November
Breeding/Spawning Season: December
Breeding/Spawning Season: January
Periodicity: Active in day
Foraging Strategy: Grazing
REFERENCES FOR LIFE HISTORY- 266 and 267
Life History - 5 (DRAFT) - Management Practices
Species pinfish
Species Id TSNL010605
Date 26 AUG 96
MANAGEMENT PRACTICES
Management Practices - 1 (DRAFT) - References
Species pinfish
Species Id TSNL010605
Date 26 AUG 96
References
266 * Muncy, Robert J. 1984. Species Profiles: Life histories
and environmental requirements of coastal fishes and
invertebrates (Gulf of Mexico) --Pinfish. Species Profile Series
82(11.26) (ed.). U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Washington,
DC:18.
267 * Texas System of Natural Laboratories. 1991. Species
Profiles - Pinfish. (ed.). Texas System of Natural Laboratories
Austin, Texas. Additional references available at the Austin Office.
References - 1