Evidence of homing behavior to the natal spawning ground, Mekari-seto in the Seto Inland Sea from adult ocellate puffer Takifugu rubripes recaptured

In order to clarify homing behavior to the natal spawning ground, disc tagg ed 104 and 93 adult ocellate puffers were released in each mid-May 1994 and 1995 off Saizaki, Mihara City, Hiroshima Prefecture, adjacent to the Mekar i-seto spawning ground in the Seto Inland Sea. In the Seto Inland Sea, 14 t agged individuals were recaptured within 6 months of release, the majority soon after the release. On the other hand, 11 tagged individuals were recap tured in the open sea including areas such as the Yellow Sea, Tsushima Stra its, Goto-nada, Genkai-nada and Shibushi Bay from 1 to 22 months after rele ase, At the following spawning season, 10 tagged individuals, five for each year released, were recaptured in areas adjacent to the Mekari-seto, but t here was no reports related to any other spawning grounds except 2 individu als recaptured off Hashiri Island. This fact deny the possibility of migrat ing towards Bisan-seto as well as Mekari-seto. These results that the ocell ate puffers show homing behavior to the natal spawning ground in general. m ay not suggest.