UTILIZATION OF SHALLOW ESTUARINE HABITATS IN SOUTH-CAROLINA, USA, BY POSTLARVAL AND JUVENILE STAGES OF PENAEUS SPP (DECAPODA, PENAEIDAE)

Penaeus spp. were sampled in 3 tidal marsh creeks in poly-, meso-, and oligohaline salinity regimes from February 1986 to June 1988. Occurre nce of postlarvae of Penaeus in plankton collections from the marsh cr eeks was seasonal, with peaks occurring in February and March for the brown shrimp P. aztecus, July for the white shrimp P. setiferus, and A ugust for the pink shrimp P. duorarum. White and pink shrimp postlarva e were most abundant at the polyhaline site, while density of brown sh rimp postlarvae was greatest in the mesohaline creek. Postlarvae of al l three species were more numerous at night, with white and brown shri mps occurring in greater densities at the surface. Juvenile brown and white shrimps were most abundant at the meso- and oligohaline creeks, while few juvenile pink shrimps were collected at any site, despite be ing numerically dominant (42% of the total) as postlarvae. Utilization of the marsh surface and drainage rivulets in each creek was determin ed by sampling with a suction pump and cylindrical drop sampler, flume nets, and a stationary bottom net. Penaeus setiferus was the most abu ndant species collected from the marsh surface, with greatest densitie s at the mesohaline creek. Although the marsh surface and drainage riv ulets appear to be important nursery habitats for penaeid shrimps in S outh Carolina, densities were much lower than those reported in marshe s along the Gulf of Mexico. The densities of penaeid shrimps in nurser y habitats of South Carolina are likely influenced by higher tidal amp litude and less reticulation of marshes, compared to those in the Gulf of Mexico.