Species Composition, Distribution, and Some Biological Aspects for Fishes of the Genus Lycodes (Zoarcidae) in the Laptev Sea in 2014

Abstract

On the basis of material from expeditions to the Laptev Sea in 2014, information is presented on occurrence, spatial-bathymetric distribution, water temperature and salinity, and types of ground in habitats of six species of eelpouts: shulupaoluk Lycodes jugoricus, pale eelpout L. pallidus, polar eelpout L. polaris, Arctic eelpout L. reticulatus, archer eelpout L. sagittarius, and wattled eelpout L. cf. palearis. Specimens similar to the wattled eelpout L. cf. palearis are found in this sea for the first time—in shallow water of Kotelniy Island (20–43 m). The polar eelpout is a common, relatively abundant, and widely distributed species in the Laptev Sea. Its frequency of occurrence is 24.7 vs. 1.2−6.2% of the other five species. The size of captured specimens, as well as the length-weight ratio of shulupaoluk and polar eelpout, is reported. Diet composition of shulupaoluk, polar eelpout, and Arctic eelpout is examined.