Abstract
Larval behaviour is important to dispersal and settlement, but is seldom quantified. Behavioural capabilities of larval Lutjanus carponotatus in both offshore pelagic and reef environments at Lizard Island, Great Barrier Reef were observed in situ to determine if they were sufficient to influence dispersal. Offshore, larvae swam with higher directional precision and faster on the windward side of the island (28 cm.s−1) than on the leeward side (16 cm s−1). Most larvae swam directionally. Mean swimming directions were southerly in the windward area and northerly in the leeward area. Larvae avoided the surface and remained mostly between 3–15 m. Larvae released near reefs were 2–3 times faster swimming away from reefs (19 cm s−1) than swimming toward or over them (6–8 cm s−1). Speed swimming away was similar to that offshore. Of 41 larvae released near reefs, 73% reached the reef, 59% settled, and 13% of those reaching the reef were eaten. Larvae settled onto hard and soft coral (58%), topographic reef features (29%) and sand and rubble (13%). Settlement depth averaged 5.5 m (2–8 m). Before settling larvae spent up to 800 s over the reef (mean 231 s) and swam up to 53 m (mean 14 m). About half of the larvae interacted with reef residents including predatory attacks and aggressive approaches by residents and aggressive approaches by settling larvae. Settlement behaviour of L. carponotatus was more similar to a serranid than to pomacentrids. Settlement-stage larvae of L. carponotatus are behaviourally capable, and have a complex settlement behaviour.
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Acknowledgements
The field work reported here was supported by Australian Research Commission grants to JML (A19530997, A19804335, DP0345876) and was done under Australian Museum Animal Care and Ethics Committee approvals and Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority permits. We thank the many people who aided in obtaining these field data, especially, B Carson-Ewart and A Hay (who also took the photo in Fig. 2), and the staff of the Lizard Island Research Station for making our field work possible. Thanks to S Bullock and M Yerman for editorial assistance. The analysis of data and preparation of this manuscript were supported by a Marine and Topical Scientific Research Facility grant to JML and a student internship from University Pierre et Marie Curie (Paris VI) to GQ.
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Quéré, G., Leis, J.M. Settlement behaviour of larvae of the Stripey Snapper, Lutjanus carponotatus (Teleostei: Lutjanidae). Environ Biol Fish 88, 227–238 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10641-010-9633-x
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10641-010-9633-x