Data on distribution and biology of poachers agonidae from the northwestern part of the Bering Sea

On the basis of materials of 1996–2003, specific features of spatial and seasonal distribution of four species of Agonidae ( Percis japonica, Sarritor frenatus, S. leptorhynchus , and Aspidophoroides bartoni ) in the northwestern part of the Bering Sea are considered. In this area of the studied species, P. japonica is found in catches most frequently (occurrence reaches 81.8%); the rarest here is S. leptorhynchus (0.7–7.0%). P. japonica begins to spawn in mid-July, and S. frenatus terminates spawning in the second ten-day period in August. Mass (50%) sexual maturation of female P. japonica occurs at a length of 29 cm, and of males, at 23 cm; in S. frenatus , at 24–25 and 23 cm, respectively. The individual absolute fecundity of P. japonica averages 6361 eggs, and oocyte diameter, 2.9 mm; of S. frenatus , 2848 eggs and 1.53 mm, respectively. The bulk of feeding of P. japonica is formed by polychaetes; next in importance are amphipods and caprellids. The bulk of feeding of S. frenatus is formed by amphipods; polychaetes, isopods, and euphausiids (in decreasing order) are also important in the feeding of this species.