INGRESS AND SETTLEMENT IN THE NASSAU GROUPER, EPINEPHELUS-STRIATUS (PISCES, SERRANIDAE), WITH RELATIONSHIP TO SPAWNING OCCURRENCE

Ingressing pelagic juvenile Epinephelus striatus were collected in a t idal channel at Lee Stocking Island, Exumas, Bahamas during both Janua ry 1989 and 1990, starting 37 days after the December full moon. They subsequently recruited for only about 1 week, generally at night on in coming tides with maximal densities of 1 fish per 1000-3000 m(3) water Otolith increment back dating to spawning dates of pelagic and benthi c juvenile E. striatus in the Exumas indicated nearly all spawning dat es were near the full moon of December. Spawning at an unknown site in Exuma Sound, believed to be the source of recruits collected, may hav e occurred only during December or alternately no recruits may have su rvived from a January spawning in Exuma Sound. Increment formation in benthic juveniles, verified by capture and hold experiments, indicate a larval Life length of 37-45 days (mean = 41.6). Recently-settled E. striatus were found on artificial reef substrates (cement blocks and c onch shells), natural reefs and rubble mounds produced by Malacanthus plumieri. Benthic juvenile E. striatus appeared on artificial reefs sh ortly after first collection of pelagic juveniles.