REFWEYCECOPY 

Do Not Remove from the iibrary . , U. S. Fish and Wlldllf~ Cprvira 

Biological Report 82 (11.66) Nationa 1 We~lands Research Center TR EL-82-4 

June 1986 700 Cajun Dome Boulevard 

Lafcryette, Louisiana 70506 

Species Profiles: Life Histories and 

Environmental Requirements of Coastal Fishes 

and Invertebrates (North Atlantic) 

SAND LANCE 

Coastal Ecology Group 

Fish and Wildlife Service Waterways Experiment Station 

U.S. Department of the Interior U.S. Anny Corps of Engineers 
Biological Report 82 (11.66) 

TR EL-82-4 

June 1986 

Species Profiles: Life Hi stories and Environmental Requirements 

of Coastal Fishes and Invertebrates (North Atlantic) 

SAND LANCE 

Peter J. Auster and Lance L. Stewart 

NOAA's National Undersea Research Program 

The University of Connecticut at Avery Point 

Groton, CT 06340 

Project Manager 

Carroll -Cordes 

Project Officer 

David Moran 

National Coastal Ecosystems Team 

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 

1010 Gause Boulevard 

Slidell, LA 70458 

Performed for 

Coastal Ecology Group 

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers 

Waterways Experiment Station 

Vicksburg, MS 39180 

and 

National coastal Ecosystems Team 

Research and Development 

Fish and Wildlife Service 

U.S. Department of the Interior 

Washington, D.C. 20240 
This series may be referenced as follows: 

U.S. FishandWildlifeService. 1983-19-. Speciesprofiles: lifehistories 

and environmental requirements of coasta'l' fishes and invertebrates. U. S. Fish 

Wildl. Serv. Biol. Rep. 82(11). U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, TR EL-82-4. 

This profile may be cited as follows: 

Auster, P. J., and L. L. Stewart. 1986. Species profiles: life histories and 

environmental requirements of coastal fishes and invertebrates (North 

Atlantic)--sand lance. U.S. Fish Wildl. Serv. Biol. Rep. 82 (11.66). U.S. 

Army Corps of Engineers, TR EL-82-4. 11 pp. 
PREFACE 

This species profile is one of a series on coastal aquatic organisms, 

principally fish, of sport, commercial , or ecological importance. The profi 1 es 

are designed to provide coastal managers, engineers, and biologists with a brief 

comprehensive sketch of the biological characteristics and environmental 

requirements of the species and to describe how populations of the species may be 

expected to react to environmental changes caused by coastal development. Each 

profi 1 e has sections on taxonomy, 1 ife hi story, ecological role, environmental 

requirements, and economic importance, if appl icabl e. A three-ri ng binder is 

used for this series so that new profiles can be added as they are prepared. 

This project is jointly planned and financed by the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers 

and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 

Suggestions or questions regarding this report should be directed to one of 

the following addresses. 

Information Transfer Specialist 

National Coastal Ecosystems Team 

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 

NASA-Sl idel 1 Computer Complex 

1010 Gause Boulevard 

Slidell, LA 70458 

U. S. Army Engineer Waterways Experiment Station 

Attention: WESER-C 

Post Office Box 631 

Vicksburg, MS 39180 
CONVERSION TABLE 

Metric to U.S. Customary 

Mu1 tiply !Y To Obtain 

mil 1 ineters (mm) 

centimeters (cm) 

meters (m) 

ki 1 ometers ( km) 

2 

square meters (m ) 10.76 

square ki 1 meters ( km2) 0.3861 

hectares (ha) 2.471 

1 iters (1) 

cubic meters (m3) 

cubic meters 

mil 1 igrams (mg) 

grains (g) kilograms (k ) 

metric tons qt) 

metric tons 

ki 1 ocal ories ( kcal ) 

inches 

inches 

feet 

mil es 

square feet 

square inil es 

acres 

gal 1 ons 

cubic feet 

acre- feet 

ounces 

ounces 

pounds 

pounds 

short tons 

British thermal units 

Celsius degrees 1.8("C) + 32 Fahrenheit degrees 

U.S. Customary to Metric 

inches 25.40 

inches 2.54 

feet (ft) 0.3043 

fathoms 1.829 

miles (mi) 1.609 

nautical miles (mi) 1.852 

square feet (ft2) 

acres 2 square miles (mi ) 

gal 1 ons ( gal ) 

cubic feet (ft3) 

acre-feet 

ounces (oz) 28.35 

pounds (lb) 0.4536 

short tons (ton) 0.9072 

British themal units (Btu) 0.2520 

mil 1 imeters 

centimeters 

meters 

meters 

kil ometers 

ki 1 oaeters 

square meters 

hectares 

square kilometers 

1 i ters 

cubic meters 

cubic meters 

grams 

ki 1 og rams 

metric tons 

ki 1 ocal ori es 

Fahrenheit degrees 0.5556("F - 32) Celsius degrees 
CONTENTS 

Page 

PREFACE .................................. iii 

CONVERSIONFACTORS ............................. v 

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS .............................. vi 

NOMENCLATURE/TAXONOMY/RANGE ........................ 1 

MORPHOLOGY/IDENTIFICATION AIDS ....................... 1 

REASON FOR INCLUSION IN SERIES ....................... 4 

LIFE HISTORY ................................ 4 

Spawning ................................. 4 

FecundityandEggs ............................ 4 

Larvae .................................. 4 

Juveniles and Adults ........................... 5 

GROWTH CHARACTERISTICS ........................... 5 

FISHERY .................................. 6 

ECOLOGICALROLE .............................. 6 

ENVIRONMENTALREQUIREMENTS ......................... 6 

Temperature ............................... 6 

Salinity ................................. 6 

Habitat ................................. 7 

Other Environmental Factors ....................... 7 

LITERATURE CITED .............................. 9 
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 

We are grateful for the review by L.J. Buckley and K. Sherman of the 

National Marine Fisheries Service, Narragansett, Rhode Island. We also thank 

Mary Jane Spring for expertly preparing the figures and Jennifer Bell Crouch for 

typing the manuscript. 
Figure 1. Sand lance. 

SAND LANCE 

Scientific name.. ............ Ammodytes 

SPP. 

Preferred common name ........... Sand 

lance (Figure 1) 

Other common names ......... Sand eel, 

sand launce, lant, lance, equi 1 le, 

northern sand lance (A_. dubius), 

American sand lance (A, americanus) 

Class. ................... Osteichthyes 

Order..................... Perciformes 

Family. ................... Ammodytidae 

Geographic range: From northern 

Labrador and Hudson Bay south to 

Cape Hatteras (Bigelow and Schroeder 

1953; Richards et al. 1963; Liem and 

Scott 1966) and from upper estuaries 

(Norcross et al. 1961) to the edge 

of the Continental Shelf (Richards 

and Kendall 1973)(Figure 2). This 

genus is most abundant, however, 

along the inner half of the 

Continental Shelf and is most 

commonly associated with sandy 

substrates (Bi gelow and Schroeder 

1953; Grosslein and Azarovi tz 1982). 

MORPHOLOGY/IDENTIFICATION AIDS 

spatial changes in the genus Ammodytes 

from the northwest Atlantic and 

distinguished groups with high, 

i ntermediate, and low meristic 

counts. The intermediate group was 

split, and fish with high to intermediate counts were named A, dubius 

and those with low to intermediate 

counts were named A_. hexapterus 

(= A. americanus). The range of 

meristic characteristics and overlao 

between species of this genus over 

wide geographic area were significant 

(Table 1). As a result of this 

variation, sand lance in the North 

Atlantic area off the coast of the 

U. S. (Ammod tes spp. ) will be covered 

as a com -li-'%- ine group in this profile. 

The body of the sand lance is 

small, elongate, and slender. Body 

depth is uniform from the opercular 

region to the beginning of the anal 

fin. Body depth then begins to taper 

towards the caudal peduncle. The tail 

is forked. The anal fin originates 

under the 29th or 30th dorsal fin 

ray. The lateral line is straight. 

The mouth is terminal with lower jaw 

projecting forward and no teeth (Liem 

and Scott 1966). Fin ray counts vary 

as in Table 1. 

Meristic values of sand lance Color of individual fish is varivary greatly with latitude as well as able. The dorsal surface can be 

with distance from shore at the same olive, brown, or bluish green. Lower 

latitude (Backus 1957; Richards et al. sides are silver with a dull white 

1963; Winters 1970; Scott 1972; ventral region. Some individuals have 

Pellegrini 1976). Richards et al. a steel-blue iridescent longitudinal 

(1963) demonstrated various types of stripe. 
CANADA 

MAINE \ 

f, -3 

'.\ //: '{! C 

\ 

- - I 

I 

Figure 2. Distribution of sand lances along the North Atlantic coast. 
m CV rl wmm m b m m m m mmm m m m I I I I I I I I m b z I W b b 0 0 V) 

CV CV CVCVCV m m CV 

cv rl o NNa m 3 w 0 w w w www w I I I I I I rl I m w ~mw CV 0 CV m m m mmm w w m 

m rl m m m a m a CV b b W b b b b b b I I I Ill I 

rl d m*rn rl 0 m I cV I 

W W W WWW b b W 
Sand lance eggs, larvae, and 

post1 arvae were described by Norcross 

et al. (1961), Williams et al. (1964). 

Richards (1965). and Smigielski et al. 

(1984). and can be distinguished from 

those of other species on the basis of 

morphol ogy. 

REASON FOR INCLUSION IN SERIES 

Sand lance are widespread along 

the northeast coast of the U.S. 

(Sherman et al. 1981; Morse 1982). 

They are abundant and are an important 

prey species for many predatory fishes 

important to commercial and 

recreational fisheries and are a1 so 

important prey for marine mammals. 

Sand lance occur in estuarine, open 

coastal, and offshore habitats. 

Contiguous overlapping populations 

provide linkages between these habitat 

types and coastal regions. 

LIFE HISTORY 

Spawni ng 

Sand lance mature during their 

first or second year (Westin et 

al. 1979). and males reach maturity 

several months before females (Scott 

1968). Spawning occurs principally 

from November to March (Bigelow and 

Schroeder 1953; Norcross et al. 1961 ). 

Larval fish survey data indicate that 

spawning occurs principally inshore 

although evidence exists of some 

offshore spawning activity (Richards 

and Kendall 1973; Sherman et al. 1981 ; 

Sherman et al. 1984). Sand lance lay 

demersal eggs that are deposited on or 

in sand substrates or on gravel 

surfaces (Ehrenbaum 1904; Wi 11 i ams et 

al. 1964). Sand lance larvae are 

distributed over a wide area of the 

shelf in winter (Sherman et al. 1984). 

Fecundity and Egqs 

Westin et al. (1979) showed that 

sand lance in the Merrimack River 

exhibited size specific fecundity. 

The model which describes this 

relationship is: f = 0.328 1 3-857 

where f is fecundity (number of eggs) 

and 1 is fork length (cm). Estimates 

of weight loss during spawning of 

females range from 30Z to 45Z (Scott 

1972; Westin et al. 1979; Smigielski 

et al. 1984). 

Sand lance eggs range in diameter 

from 0.67 to 1.03 mm and have a single 

bright yellow oil globule (Williams et 

al. 1964; Smigielski et al. 1984). 

Eggs hatch from November to May when 

water temperatures drop below 9 OC 

(Wheatland 1956; Norcross et al. 1961 ; 

Richards and Kendal 1 1973). 

Incubation times of eggs spawned in 

the laboratory ranged from 30 days at 

10 OC to 82 days at 2 OC (Smigielski 

et al. 1984). 

Larvae 

Larvae are approximately 3 to 4 

mm in length at hatching. After a 

planktonic stage of 2 to 3 months 

(Grosslein and Azarovi tz 1982). during 

which they grow to about 35 mm (Scott 

1973a). they become semidemersal. 

Larvae reared in captivity at 7 OC 

exhibited schooling behavior at a size 

of 35 to 40 mm 90 days after hatching, 

and first burrowed into the sand at 

133 days after attaining a size of 35 

to 40 mm (Smigielski et al. 1984). 

Larvae are most abundant off the 

mouths of major estuaries but are 

common out to the edge of the 

Continental She1 f (Norcross et a1 . 1961; Richards and Kendall 1973). 

Major concentrations of larvae have 

consistently occurred in the Georges 

Bank and the Nantucket Shoals to Long 

Island, New York, regions since 1976 

(Sherman et al. 1981; Morse 1982). 

Norcross et al. (1961) found that 

larvae increased in size in samples 

taken along nearshore to offshore 

transects, suggesting that the larvae 

may be able to undertake directed 

migrations away from the shore. 
Richards (1976) reported the 

occurrence of heterotypic schools of 

sand lance and herring (Clupea 

harengus harengus) postlarvae. The 

ubiquity of this behavior is unknown. 

Heterotypic schooling has been 

reported in several diverse species 

groups (Nursall and Pinsent 1969; 

Ogden and Erlich 1977; Frank and 

Leggett 1983; Auster 1984). This 

behavior is believed to be an adaptive 

response to predation: increased 

school size reduces the probability of 

predation on any individual. 

Sand lance larvae feed diurnally. 

Their diet consists of phytoplankton, 

i nvertebrate eggs, and copepod 

nauplii. As the fish increases in 

size, phytoplankton such as 

peridinians decrease in importance and 

copepod naupl i i increase. When 1 arvae 

become about 21 mm long, their diet 

consists mostly of adult copepods 

(Covill 1959). 

Juveniles and Adults 

Juvenile and adult sand lance 

have generally been found in schools 

during the day. Meyer et al. (1979) 

observed school sizes ranging from 

about 100 to tens of thousands of 

fish. We have observed schools of 

about 20 to 100 individuals along the 

coast. This observation is consistent 

with those reported for Hyperoplos 

lanceolatus and A, tobianus off Europe 

by Kuhlmann and K-1967)~ who 

observed school sizes of 30 to 300. 

In general, school size seems to be 

smaller in shoaler water, increasing 

as water depth increases. However, 

schools may occur at any depth in the 

water column (Meyer et al. 1979). 

The shape of sand lance schools 

is general 1 y compressed vertical 1 y and 

lengthwise. In shallow water, schools 

tend to be more compressed vertically 

and longer than in deeper water 

(Kuhlmann and Karst 1967; Meyer et al. 

1979). 

Sand lance are generally found 

over sandy substrates. Sand is used 

as a refuge. Individual fish have 

been observed to burrow into the sand 

and remain either partly buried (with 

either anterior or posterior body 

parts exposed) or totally buried after 

emerging headfirst and then backing up 

(Meyer et al. 1979). European sand 

lance species are reported to school 

diurnally and seek refuge in sand 

substrates at night. Schools reform 

at dawn (Kuhlmann and Karst 1967). 

Copepods are the major prey of 

juvenile and adult sand lance (Reay 

1970; Scott 1973b; Meyer et 

al. 1979). The inclusion of less 

important prey items such as 

crustacean 1 arvae (Scott 1973b) and 

chaetognaths (Meyer et al. 1979) in 

the sand lance diet probably reflects 

the uti 1 ization of locally abundant 

Prey 

GROWTH CHARACTERISTICS 

Reay (1970) reported that 1- to 

3-year-old fish dominate sand lance 

populations but individuals can live 

to 9 years of age and grow to a total 

length of 37 cm (Scott 1968). 

Comparison of length-at-age data 

suggests that growth rate increases 

from the New York Bight to the Nova 

Scotia banks (Grosslei n and Azarovi tz 

1982). 

Pel legrini (1976) found that sand 

lance from the Merrimack River, 

Massachusetts, had a weight-length 

re1 ationship described by the model : 

log W (g) = -2.718 + 3.098 log L (mm) 

This model agrees with weight-length 

relationships found by Scott (1972) 

for sand lance on the Newfoundland 

Grand Banks and Emerald Bank. 

Growth is fastest during the 

first year of life and slows with 

increasing age. The Von Bertalanffy 

growth model for sand lance from the 
Merrimack River, generated from the south to north (Grosslein and 

Ford-Wal ford re1 ationship, is Azarovi tz 1982). 

This model includes both males and 

females because their growth rates did 

not differ significantly (Pellegrini 

1976). 

FISHERY 

The use of sand lance in the 

U.S., limited to occasional use in the 

bai tfi sh industry, has not been 

extensive. Annual landings between 

1965 and 1973 ranged from 0 to 75 

metric tons (Grosslein and Azarovitz 

1982). Historically, Bigelow and 

Schroeder (1 953) reported that more 

than 30 metric tons (67,800 pounds) 

were landed in 1919 and over 9 metric 

tons (20,000 pounds) in 1946, from 

traps in Massachusetts. National 

Marine Fisheries Service survey data 

indicate that the sand lance 

population in the northwest Atlantic 

increased greatly after 1974 

(Grosslein et al. 1980; Sherman et al. 

1981). No plans now exist for the 

management of sand lance in 

U.S. waters of the northwest Atlantic. 

ECOLOGICAL ROLE 

Sand lance are a major link 

between zooplankton production and 

fishes of commericial importance. 

They have been found in the stomachs 

of a wide variety of species, 

including Atlantic cod, Gadus morhua; 

haddock, Melanogrammus aeglefinus; 

silver hake, Merluccius bilinearis; 

white hake, Urophycis tenuis; 

ye1 lowtai 1 flounder, Limanda 

ferruqinea; and longhorn sculpin, 

Myoxocephal us octodecemspi nosus (Scott 

1968. 1973b: Bowman et al. 1976; 

 owm man and ~an~ton 1978). They are 

also important prey of whales and 

porpoi ses (Bigel ow and Schroeder 1953; 

Overholtz and Nicolas 1979; Hain et 

al. 1982). The importance of sand 

lance as prey of cod increases from 

Although no specific data exist 

on diseases of sand lance in the North 

Atlantic, other studies in the 

literature suggest that certain trends 

have been discerned in pollutionrelated diseases. Sand lance in 

coastal waters of northeastern United 

States are associated with surficial 

sediments through their burrowing 

behavior. In fishes other than sand 

lance, fin necrosis has been 

associated with high c o l i f o r m counts 

in coastal waters (Mahoney et 

al. 1973) and with high concentrations 

of heavy metals in sediments (Carmody 

et al. 1973). The frequency of skin 

tumors in geographically separated 

populations of flatfishes has been 

correlated with environmental rather 

than with genetic factors (Stich et 

al. 1976). The relationships 

discerned in these studies may apply 

to sand lance populations as well. 

ENVIRONMENTAL REQUIREMENTS 

Temperature 

Sand lance occur along the North 

American coast from 350N to 690N. 

Temperatures within this latitudinal 

range vary widely. During the time of 

egg development, bottom water temperatures can be near 0 OC (Richards et 

al. 1963; Richards and Kendall 1973). 

Scott (1968) reported that sand lance 

were taken from the Nova Scotia banks 

at temperatures ranging from -2 to 11 

OC, but they were most abundant 

between 3 and 6 OC. No records of an 

upper temperature limit have been 

pub1 ished. Reay (1970) reported that 

A, tobianus along the south coast of 

England is active at temperatures as 

high as 18 OC. 

Salinity 

Tolerance of fluctuations in 

salinity apparently decreases with 

increasing age. Sand lance larvae 
have been found in waters with 

salinities less than 1.8 ppt although 

only a small percentage were taken in 

samples at salinities less than 30 ppt 

(Norcross et al. 1961). Richards et 

al. (1963) reported that sand lance 

juveniles and adults occur in 

salinities ranging from 26 to 36 ppt. 

Habitat 

Sand lance occur throughout the 

water column over sandy substrates 

into which they burrow (Bigelow and 

Schroeder 1953; Reay 1970; Meyer et 

al. 1979). The sand lance burrows for 

rest and escape from predators; hence 

much time may be spent within the 

substrate, isolated from the water 

column. Relatively high bottom 

current velocities must therefore be 

present to maintain aeration of the 

interstitial water. The interaction 

of current velocity with substrate 

type in keeping interstitial water 

oxygenated is more critical in 

defining proper habitat than is the 

range of substrate particle sizes 

(Reay 1970). 

Other Environmental Factors 

European studies have reported on 

the light-mediated die1 cycle of 

activity in other sand lance species. 

Direct underwater observations by 

Kuhlmann and Karst (1967) showed that 

sand lance (H. lanceolatus and 

A_. tobianus) are diurnal schoolers, 

resting in the sand in groups at 

night. At dawn, schools re-form and 

begin feeding. In laboratory studies 

of & marinus, swimming activity was 

high at light levels of 1000 and 100 

lux but was greatly reduced at levels 

below 10 lux (Winslade 1974). In the 

same study, it was found that the 

threshold light intensity for swimming 

activity in the field was 

approximately 100 lux, and that buried 

sand lance may be able to detect 

light, via the pineal gland, to 

respond to changes in light intensity. 

LITERATURE CITED 

Auster, P. 1984. Aggregations of 

cunner, Tautogolabrus adspersus, and 

cod, Gadus morhua: Co-occurence 

with a dominant species in a 

temperate marine fish assemblage. 

NAFO SCR Doc. 84/VI/10, 4 p. 

Backus, R.H. 1957. The fishes of 

Labrador. Ammodytidae. Bull. Am. 

Mus. Nat. Hist. 113:307-308. 

Biaelow. H. B.. and W. C. Schroeder 

7953. . Fishes .of the Gulf of Maine. 

U.S. Fish Wildl. Serv. Fish. Bull. 

Bowman, R. E., and R. W. Langton. 

1978. Fish predation on oilcontaminated prey from the region of 

the ARGO MERCHANT oil spill. Pages 

137-141 in In the wake of the ARGO 

ME~c~~~T.-Universi tyof Rhode Is1 and 

Graduate School of Oceangraphy, 

Kingston. 

Bowman, R. E., R. 0. Maurer Jr., and 

J. A. Murphy. 1976. Stomach 

contents of twenty-nine fish species 

from five regions in the northwest 

Atlantic. Natl. Mar. Fish. Serv. 

Northeast Fish. Center, Woods Hole, 

Lab. Ref. Doc. 76-10. 

Carmody, D. J., J. €3. Pearce, and W. 

E. Yasso. 1973. Trace metals in 

sediments of New York Bight. Mar. 

Pollut. Bull. 4:132-135. 

Covill, R. W. 1959. Food and feeding 

habits of larvae and postlarvae of 

Ammodytes americanus, 1952-1955. 

Bull. Bingham Oceanogr. Collect. 

Yale Univ. 17:125-146. 

Ehrenbaum, E. 1904. Eier und Larven 

von Fischen der Deutschen Bucht. 

3. Fische mit Festsitzenden Eiern. 

Helgol. Wiss. Meeresunters. 6 p. 

Frank, K. T., and W. C. Leggett. 

1983. Multispecies larval fish 

associations: accident or adaptation? Can. J. Fish. Aquat. Sci. 

40: 754-762. 

Grosslein. M. D.. and T. R. Azarovitz. 

1982. Fish distribution. MESA 

N.Y. Bight Atlas Monogr. 15. 182 p. 

Grosslein, M. D., R. W. Langton, and 

M. P. Sissenwine. 1980. Recent 

fluctuations in pelagic fish stocks 

of the Northwest At1 antic, Georges 

Bank region, in relation to species 

i nteractions. Rapp. P.-V. Reun. 

Cons. Int. Explor. Mer 177:374-404. 

Hain, J. H. W., G. R. Carter, S. D. 

Kraus, C. A. Mayo, and H. E. Winn. 

1982. Feeding behavior of the 

humpback whale, Megaptera 

novaeanql iae, in the western North 

Atlantic. U.S. Natl. Mar. Fish. 

Serv. Fish. Bull. 80: 259-268. 

Kuhlmann, D. H. H., and H. Karst. 

1967. Freiwasserbeobachtungen zum 

Verhalten von Tobiafischschwarmen 

(Ammod~tidae) in der westlichen 

Ostsee. Z. Tierpsychol. 24: 

282-297. (Also Transl. Mar. Lab., 

Aberdeen (1 392) ) . Liem, A. H., and W. B. Scott. 1966. 

Fishes of the Atlantic Coast of 

Canada. Fish. Res. Board Can. Bull. 

No. 155, 485 p. 
Mahoney, J. B., F. H. Midlige, and 

D. G. Devel. 1973. A fin rot 

disease of marine and euryhaline 

fishes in the New York Bight. 

Trans. Am. Fish. Soc. 102:596-605. 

Meyer, T. L., R. A. Cooper, and 

R. W. Langton. 1979. Relative 

abundance, behavior, and food habits 

of the American sand lance, Ammodytes americanus, from the Gulf of 

Maine. U.S. Natl. Mar. Fish. Serv. 

Fish. Bull. 77: 243-253. 

Morse, W. 1982. Spawning stock 

biomass estimates of sand lance, 

Ammod tes sp., off northeastern 

United --% tates, determined from 

MARMAP plankton surveys, 1974-1980. 

ICES C.M. 1982/G:59, 11 p. 

Norcross, J. J., W. H. Massmann, and 

E.B. Joseph. 1961. Investigations of 

inner continental shelf waters off 

lower Chesapeake Bay. Part 11. Sand 

lance larvae, ~mmod~tes americanus. 

Chesapeake Sci . 2: 49-59. 

Nursall, J. R. and M. E. Pinsent. 

1969. Aggregations of spottail 

shiners and yellow perch. J. Fish. 

Res. Board Can. 26: 1672-1 676. 

Ogden, J. C., and P. R. Erlich. 1977. 

The behavior of heterotypic resting 

schools of juvenile grunts 

(Pomadasyidae) . Mar. Biol . (Berl . ) 

42: 273-280. 

Overholtz, W. J., and J. R. Nicolas. 

1979. Apparent feeding by the fin 

whale, Bal aenoptera physalus, and 

humpback whale, Meqaptera novaean 

- 1 iae, on the American sand: 

Ammodytes americanus, in the 

Northwest Atlantic. U. S. Natl. 

Mar. Fish. Serv. Fish. Bull. 

77: 285-287. 

Pellegrini, R. H. 1976. Aspects of 

the biology of the American sand 

1 ance, Ammodytes americanus, from 

the lower Merrimack River estuary, 

Massachusetts. M. S. Thesis. 

University of New Hampshire. 53 p. 

Reay, R. J. 1970. Synopsis of 

biological data on North Atlantic 

sand eels of the genus Ammodytes. 

A_. tobianus, A_. dubius, A, americanus and A_. marinus. FA0 Fish. 

Biol. Synop. 82, 42 p. 

Richards, S. W. 1965. Description of 

the postlarvae of the sand lance 

(Ammod tes) from the east coast of 

North -?F merica. J. Fish. Res. Board 

Can. 22: 131 3-1 31 7. 

Richards, S. W. 1976. Mixed species 

schooling of postlarvae of Ammodytes hexapterus and Clupea harengus 

harengus. J. Fish. Res. Board Can. 

33: 843-844. 

Richards, S. W., and A. W. Kendall, 

Jr. 1973. Distribution of sand 

lance, Ammodytes sp., larvae on the 

continental shelf from Cape Cod to 

Cape Hatteras from RV Dolphin 

surveys in 1966. U.S. Natl. Mar. 

Fish. Serv. Fish. Bull. 71 :371-386. 

Richards, S. W., A. Perlmutter, and 

D. C. McAneny. 1963. A taxonomic 

study of the genus Ammodytes from 

the east coast of North America 

(Teleostei: Ammodytes). Copeia 

1963: 358-377. 

Scott, J. S. 1968. Morphometrics, 

distribution, growth and maturity 

of offshore sand launce (Ammodytes 

dubius) on the Nova Scotia banks. 

J. Fish. Res. Board Can. 25:1775- 

1785. 

Scott, J. S. 1972. Morphological and 

meri stic variation in Northwest 

Atlantic sand lances (Ammodytes). 

J. Fish. Res. Board Can. 29:1673- 

1678. 

Scott, J. S. 1973a. Otolith structure 

and growth in the northern sand 

lance, Ammod tes dubius, from the 

Scotian & Im~es. Bull. 
Scott, J. S. 1973b. Food and inferred 

feed i ng behavior of northern sand 

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50272 -101 

1% Supplementary Notes 

*U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Report No. TR EL-82-4. 

REPORT DOCUMENTATION 1- 2. 

PAGE I Bioloqical - Report 82111.66) 1 4. Title and Subtitla 

Species Profiles: Life Hi stories and Environmental Requi rernents of 

Coastal Fishes and Invertebrates (North Atlantic) -- Sand Lance 

7. Author(s1 

P. J. Auster and L. L. Stewart 

9. Performing Ofganirmtion Name and Addrasr 

National Undersea Research Program 

University of Connecticut at Avery Point 

Groton, CT 06340 

12. Smmoring Organixatlon Namm and Address 

National Coastal Ecosystems Team U.S. Army Corps of Engineers 

Fish and Wildlife Service Waterways Experiment Station 

U.S. Department of the Interior P.O. Box 631 

Washington, DC 20240 Vicksburg, MS 39180 

16. Abstract (Limit: 200 words) I 

3. Rec~p~ant's Liccess~on NO. 

L RCWR Date 

June 1986 6. 

a Performing Ofganizat~on Rept NO. 

10. Prnimctflasklworr Unit No. 

11. an tract^^) or Grant(G) NO. 

(CI 

(GI 

13. TYP* of Rewe & Period Covered 

14. 

Species profiles are literature summaries on taxonomy, morphology, range, life history, 

and environmental requirements of coastal finfishes and she1 1 fishes. They are designed 

to assist in environmental impact assessment. The systematic classification of the 

sand lances Ammod tes americanus and Ammodytes dubius is confusing because of overlapping meristic -5- va ues. In this report, all sand lances in the North Atlantic area 

off the coast of the United States are treated as a combined group (Ammod tes spp.). 

Sand lances occur in estuarine, open coast, and offshore habitats. Ti-- ey are important 

prey to many commercial ly and recreational ly valuable fish and marine mammals. Spawning 

occurs principally inshore between November and March. Larvae are found along the coasts 

to the edge of the Continental Shelf. Sand lances occur in schools of from tens to tens of 

thousands of individuals. They are planktivorous predators; copepods are their major 

prey item. To rest and to take refuge from predators, sand lances burrow into sand 

substrates. One to three-year-old fish dominate populations. Growth rate probably 

increases from the New York Bight to the Nova Scotia banks. Exploitation of sand lances 

off the Northeast coast of the United States is presently only for baitfish. 

1 17. Document Anmlys~s a. Descriptors I 

Estuaries Life cycles Food chains 

Marine fishes Growth Temperature 

Sal i ni ty Contaminants Feeding habits 

I b. IdentlfienlOpen-Ended Terms I 1 Sand lance 

c. COSATI FieldlCrou~ 

18. Avaolabllitv Statement 1 19. Sccur8ty Class (This RewrO 21. No. of Pages 

Re1 ease unl imi ted Unclassified 

20. Security Class Fhis Page) 

Unclassified 

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