Brevoortia patronus Goode, 1878

Taxonomic Classification

The Gulf menhaden (Brevoortia patronus Goode, 1878) is a small marine filter-feeding fish in the family Alosidae.

General Range

Its range covers most nearshore waters of the Gulf of Mexico, excluding the extreme eastern Yucatan and western Cuba.

Closest Related Species

Evidence from morphology and DNA analyses indicates that Gulf menhaden is the Gulf of Mexico counterpart to the closely related Atlantic menhaden (Brevoortia tyrannus).

Commercial Fishery Status

Both species support large commercial reduction fisheries; the Gulf menhaden fishery is the second largest in the United States by weight.

Distribution Uniformity

Gulf menhaden lives throughout the Gulf of Mexico, but its distribution is uneven.

Core Distribution Area

The center of the species' distribution is the northwest and northcentral Gulf, especially off Louisiana and Texas, where populations are very large and abundant.

Southern Gulf Sympatry

In the southern Gulf of Mexico, the range of Gulf menhaden overlaps with that of the closely related finescale menhaden (Brevoortia gunteri), and resource partitioning (a process where closely related species living close together develop subtle differences in their ecological niches) has been documented between the two species.

Eastern Gulf Sympatry

In the eastern Gulf, the range of Gulf menhaden overlaps that of yellowfin menhaden (Brevoortia smithi), and morphological and DNA evidence confirms hybridization between these two species.

Atlantic Coast Occurrence

Gulf menhaden may also occur along the southern Atlantic coast of Florida, though this observation is based primarily on DNA evidence.

Spawning Period and Location

Gulf menhaden spawn offshore during winter, between October and March.

Early Life Stage Dispersal

Their eggs and larvae are pelagic, and carried to estuarine nursery areas by prevailing currents.

Genetic Stock Structure

This stage can involve long migration distances, and populations of Gulf menhaden across the Gulf of Mexico are generally considered to form a single genetic stock.