Contribuição à biologia de alguns Engraulidae (Pisces clupeoidei) encontrados na Baía de Guanabara (RJ, Brasil) e áreas adjacentes

Abstract

As result of a seven years study (at Guanabara Bay, RJ, Brazil, and nearby localities) a total sample of 2523 specimens of the Engraulidae was collected, represented by six species: Engraulis anchoita Hubbs & Marini, 1935; Anchoa lyolepis (Evermann & Marsh, 1902); Anchoa tricolor (Agassiz, 1829); Anchoa januaria (Steindachner, 1879); Cetengraulis edentulus (Cuvier, 1829); Anchoviella perfasciata (Poey, 1860). The development of E.anchoita, A.lyolepis, A.tricolor and C.edentulus is described and illustrated in detail and the available information on the remaining other two species is given as a contribution to the identification of these fishes. Observations on nutrition, reproduction, distribution and parasites are presented. The role of Guanabara Bay in the cited fishes life-cicle is discussed.