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Reproduction, Age And Growth, And Movements Of The Gulf Butterfish Peprilus-Burti, Michael D. Murphy, Mark E. Chittenden

VIMS Articles

Collections were made for gulf butterfish Peprilus burti along a cross-shelf transect at depths of 5-100 m in the Gulf of Mexico off Texas from October 1977 to July 1980. Butterfish mature at 100-160 mm fork length as they approach age I. Spawning occurs primarily from September through May, but length frequencies indicate it concentrates, or is most successful, in distinct "Winter" (late January-mid-May) and "Fall" (early September-late October) periods that coincide with downcoast, alongshore currents (toward Mexico). Gonad data and persistence of small fish indicate spawning in winter, but at a low level. Spawning probably occurs offshore and upcoast …