Ichthyoplankton

Ichthyoplankton (pronounced: ik-thee-o-plank-ton) are the eggs and larvae of fish. They are usually found in the sunlit zone of the water column, less than 200 meters deep, sometimes called the Epipelagic zone. This is the principal spawning ground for many fish species.

Etymology

The term "ichthyoplankton" is derived from two Greek words: "ichthys" which means fish, and "planktos" which means drifter or wanderer. This term is used to describe the fish in their earliest stages of life, where they drift along with the ocean currents.

Related Terms

Plankton: The small and microscopic organisms drifting or floating in the sea or fresh water.
Zooplankton: The heterotrophic (sometimes detritivorous) plankton.
Phytoplankton: The autotrophic components of the plankton community and a key part of oceans, seas and freshwater basin ecosystems.
Epipelagic zone: The topmost layer of the ocean where there is enough sunlight for photosynthesis.

References

Hjort, Johan (1914). "Fluctuations in the great fisheries of northern Europe viewed in the light of biological research". Rapports et Procès-Verbaux des Réunions du Conseil Permanent International pour l'Exploration de la Mer, 20: 1–228.
Houde, Edward D. (2002). "Fish early life dynamics and recruitment variability". American Fisheries Society Symposium, 2002: 17–29.

External links

Medical encyclopedia article on Ichthyoplankton
Wikipedia's article - Ichthyoplankton

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Ichthyoplankton