POSTSETTLEMENT PATTERNS OF HABITAT USE BY SCIAENID FISHES IN SUBTROPICAL SEAGRASS MEADOWS

Spatial and temporal patterns of distribution and abundance were exami ned for postsettlement sciaenids collected from seagrass meadows in th e Aransas Estuary, Texas. Overall, 5443 sciaenid larvae and early juve niles were identified from biweekly epibenthic sled collections taken from August 1994 to August 1995. Eight species were present in seagras s meadows, with five accounting for over 99.9% of sciaenids collected: silver perch (Bairdiella chrysoura), spotted seatrout (Cynoscion nebu losus), spot (Leiostomus xanthurus), Atlantic croaker (Micropogonias u ndulatus), and red drum (Sciaenops ocellatus). Settlement to seagrass meadows was partitioned temporally with little overlap among the five species. Postsettlers from inshore spawners (B. chrysoura, C. nebulosu s, S. ocellatus) inhabited seagrass meadows during the spring and summ er, while individuals from offshore spawners (L. xanthurus, M. undulat us) were present in the late fall and winter. Densities of B. chrysour a, C. nebulosus, S. ocellatus were highest for small individuals (4-8 mm SL) and these taxa remained in seagrass sites through the early juv enile stage. Conversely, L. xanthurus and M. undulatus maintained long er pelagic periods and generally entered seagrass meadows at larger si zes (10-14 mm SL). Moreover, these taxa were only temporary residents of selected seagrass meadows, apparently migrating to alternative habi tats shortly after arrival. During peak settlement, mean and maximum d ensities among species ranged from 0.1 m(-2) to 0.8 m(-2) and 0.7 m(-2 ) to 23.8 m(-2), respectively. Density and mean size of postsettlement sciaenids differed significantly between seagrass species (Halodul wr ightii, Thalassia testidinum) and among sites within the estuary.