• Journal of the Korean Society of Marine Environment & Safety
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• v.23 no.7
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• pp.902-908
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• 2017

To determine the horizontal and temporal distribution of firefly squid, Watasenia scintillans (W. scintillans), larvae, we conducted surveys using IKMT (mesh size: $500{\mu}m$) and CTD (SBE9plus) with Fisheries Research Vessel (FRV, TAMGU 21) in the southern part of the East Sea in summer (August) and autumn (September and November) 2015. A total of 238 larvae, ranging in mantle length (ML) from 0.6 mm to 18.5 mm, were collected at 28 stations. Abundance and larval distribution density were significantly higher in summer than in autumn during the study period. Especially, the highest density of W. scintillans was observed in the coastal waters of the East Sea from Pohang to Pyunghae where cold water masses were distributed in summer. Optimum embryo survival temperature ($6-16^{\circ}C$) 40 to 180 m depth ranges for stations which larvae were collected.