FISHERY BULLETIN: VOL. 73, NO. 2 



settlement in shallow water and transformation to 

 a benthic, postpuerulus form. 



Based on observations of its surface swimming 

 behavior and capabilities, preference for plant 

 covered substrates, settlement behavior, and 

 morphology, the puerulus appears to be a transi- 

 tional, pelagic stage specifically adapted for 

 directional swimming, whose function is to return 

 from offshore by active means to nearshore areas 

 suitable for settlement. Thus, it probably occupies 

 the key role in recruitment. 



The seemingly low abundance of pueruli in the 

 southern California areas sampled suggests that it 

 would not be practical or beneficial to attempt 

 large collections there for purposes of aquaculture 

 and restocking. However, other locations, includ- 

 ing those closer to the center of the geographical 

 range, should be investigated as potential large 

 scale collecting sites. 



Employed in a standardized manner, the habitat 

 trap system developed in this study could prove 

 useful in locating primary areas of puerulus 

 settlement and in monitoring fluctuations in year 

 class recruitment. 



ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 



This work is the result of research sponsored by 

 the National Science Foundation Office of Sea 

 Grant Programs, under Grant No. GH-36 and by 

 the NOAA Office of Sea Grant Programs, Depart- 

 ment of Commerce, under Grant No. USDC 

 2-35208. The U.S. Government is authorized to 

 produce and distribute reprints for governmental 

 purposes, notwithstanding any copyright notation 

 that may appear herein. We wish to thank Mar- 

 garet Knight of the Scripps Institution of 

 Oceanography (SIO) for providing space in the 

 SIO experimental aquarium. We also wish to ac- 

 knowledge the assistance of Martin W. Johnson of 

 the Scripps Institution of Oceanography and 

 David A. Farris and Glenn A. Flittner of San 

 Diego State University in reviewing the 

 manuscript. 



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