GUILLEMOT ET AL.: SEASONAL CYCLES IN CALIFORNU ROCKFISH 



possessed little fat in the spring, and higher levels in 

 summer through winter (Fig. 3). Fat content in 

 juveniles of female S. flavidus peaked in fall (Fig. 3). 



Table 6.— Seasonal regressions of In (visceral fat volume, 

 mL) on In (total length, mm) in juveniles of three species of 

 Sebastes from northern and central California. 



Thus, in three of the four groups analyzed, fat con- 

 tent of juveniles varied during the year. The timing 

 of the apparent cycles was similar to that of adults. 

 The amplitude of the fat cycle in juveniles of female 

 S. paucispinis and S. pinniger (less than twofold 

 change in fat volume) was similar to adult amplitude. 

 In female S. Jlavidus, the amplitude of the fat cycle 

 in juveniles (less than twofold change) was lower 

 than in adults. As adults, S. flavidits showed high- 

 amplitude fat cycles, while 5. paucispinis and S. pin- 

 niger showed low-amplitude cycles. 



DISCUSSION 



Clear cycles of visceral fat volume and gonadal 

 volume occurred in both sexes of S. entomelas, S. 

 paucispinis, S. goodei, and S. flavidus. The fat cycles 

 of male and female S. pinniger were less well- 

 defined, as was the gonadal cycle of female S. pin- 

 niger. Many of the female S. pinniger we examined 

 were relatively small adults. This may account, at 

 least in part, for the small and ill-defined fat and 

 gonad cycles, as the fat cycles of female 5. flavidus 

 increased in amplitude from juveniles to adults. 



Visceral fat volume generally increased propor- 



S. paucispinis 



Females S. paucispinis 



Males 



S. pinniger 



Females S. flavidus 



Females 



< 

 U. 



Summer 

 Spring Fal 



Winter 



Summer 

 Spring Fall 



Winter 



SEASON 



Figure 3. -Seasonal variation of visceral fat volume in the juveniles of five species of Sebastes, as in Figure 1. 

 Averages of In (total length, mm) used in estimating fat volume are S. paucispinis females, 6.08, and males, 6.04; S. 

 pinniger females, 5.88; and S. flavidus females, 5.78. Seasons: spring (March-May 1980), summer (June-August 

 1980), fall (September-November 1980), and winter (December 1980-February 1981). 



307 



