| Summary |
The Atlantic needlefish, Strongylura marina, is a primarily saltwater species that is known to inhabit shallow, coastal waters along the Atlantic of North America for which there is little commercial or recreation value. However, previous studies have indicated that the Atlantic needlefish is an important predator in some ecosystems. The population found in Lake Mattamuskeet is of particular interest because this is a primarily freshwater habitat. The study documented basic life history information about Atlantic needlefish found in Lake Mattamuskeet including maturity, length weight relationship, sexual differences, growth, and fecundity, and food habits. In addition, a set of aging criteria were developed for this species. Results indicate that Atlantic needlefish are springtime, iteroparous batch spawners. While there was no conclusive evidence of anadromy in this population, there was certainly evidence of anadromous behavior in Atlantic needlefish. Feeding analysis indicates that the species is a top predator in the lake ecosystem. An age-length key was developed based on otoliths and a von Bertallanfy Growth Function was performed on the age data which yielded a r² = 0.93. More research on Atlantic needlefish in other ecosystems is recommended to investigate potential anadromy. |
