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Presettlement phase of Parika scaber (Pisces: Monacanthidae): a temperate reef fish

1987; Inter-Research; Volume: 36; Linguagem: Inglês

10.3354/meps036065

1616-1599

Michael J. Kingsford, MJ Milicich,

Marine and fisheries research

Duration of presettlement phase was examined for the temperate reef fish Parika scaber.Information was also collected on seasonality, growth, development, and diet before settlement.Presettlement P. scaber associated with drift algae offshore of rocky reefs were of sizes 7 to 35 mm standard length (SL); highest abundances were found between November and January.Fish just prior to settlement were collected from algae tethered seaward of reefs.Fish associated with drift algae and fish captured around tethered algae had similar size-frequency relationships.Fish that associated with drift and tethered algae and settled on reefs were between 22 and 66 d old.Despite this wide range of ages and sizes, at any one time a large proportion of P. scaber around drift and tethered algae were of a similar size and age.However, among sampling times the mean value for these relations vaned.Hence, P. scaber have the capacity to settle at a variety of ages and sizes.Presettlement P. scaber (described from 3.5 mm) have a full adult fin-ray complement and a similar colouration to fish on the reef at 8 to 9 mm length.Development to the adult form correlated with a change from allometric to isometric growth.Reared and tetracycline-treated fish demonstrated that increments were deposited daily, after hatching, in the sagittal and lapillus otoliths.Assuming that the spacing of increments relates to the growth of fish, a growth curve was determined: After an initial period of slow growth there was a rapid acceleration in growth to 7 mm; growth remained relatively conztant in h g e : fish.Thc spacificj of inclements suggested that development rate vaned among samples of fish captured at different times.Growth rates, determined from age-size relations, showed a similar variation.T h ~s is discussed in relation to the conditions fish may have experienced in the pelagic enviroment.