Abundance of mesopelagic fish larvae in the Agulhas Current region during the "Agulhas" ichthyoplankton surveys of May and October (1990) and February (1991) [Dataset]

This dataset provides information on the distribution and abundance of mesopelagic fish larvae in the Agulhas Current region (southwestern Indian) in three cruises carried out between 1990 and 1991. Samples were dominated by larvae of myctophid fishes. A few species showed marked seasonality in their occurrence, e.g. Scopelopsis multipunctatus that only appeared in winter, and Hygophum hygomii that showed the highest abundances in winter, while others appeared in low concentrations during all surveys. Shoreward intrusions of Agulhas Current surface water contributed to the occurrence of larvae of oceanic species in inshore stations