STEPIEN: LIFE HISTORY AND DEVELOPMENT OF KELPFISH 



SIZE FREQUENCIES OF KELPFISH 



50 

 40 

 30 - 



> 20 



o 



a» 10 



3 



a> 



£ 



0> 



re 

 § 50 



S. 40 



30 H 



20 

 10 



Feb- Apr 81 

 N=63 



May-Jul 81 

 N =111 



Aug -Oct 81 

 N = 128 



Nov 81 -Jan 82 

 N = 61 



■F 3 *- 



5 15 25 35 5 15 25 35 5 15 25 35 5 15 25 35 



Feb- Apr 82 

 N = 74 



May-Jul 82 

 N = 153 



AugOct82 Nov82-Jan83 



N--130 N--24 



15 25 35 



5 15 25 35 5 15 25 35 



Total Length (cm) 



15 25 35 



Figure 13.— Percentage frequencies of giant kelpfish size classes collected seasonally from February 1981 

 to January 1983. N = 744. Contingency table R x C G tests of independence showed significant seasonal 

 variations in frequencies of kelpfish size classes in 1981-82 (N = 363; * 2 = 167.73, 15 df, P < 0.001) and 

 1982-83 (N = 381; x 2 = 86.07, 15 df; P < 0.001). (Sokal and Rohlf 1981.) 



months, the most abundant size classes were esti- 

 mated as 0.5 and 1.5 yr of age. These size frequen- 

 cies also indicate that a relatively low percentage 

 of the population is composed of individuals 3 yr and 

 older. 



DISCUSSION 



Reproduction and Development 



Unlike Heterostichus, whose nests contain eggs 

 in similar stages of development, those of the fringe- 

 head Neoclinus bryope (family Clinidae; subfamily 

 Chaenopsidae) contain various developmental 

 stages, apparently from several spawnings (Shiogaki 

 and Dotsu 1972). Heterostichus eggs have a single 

 large oil globule (see Barnhart 1932 and Figure 3C), 

 while other described clinid eggs have several (Spar- 

 ta 1948; Shiogaki and Dotsu 1972; Matarese et al. 

 1984). Unfertilized eggs of Gibbonsia elegans con- 

 tain a mass of 6-16 small oil globules (Stepien 3 ). Like 



Heterostichus (see Figure 3D), Clinus argentatus 

 eggs develop large black melanophores over the sur- 

 face (Sparta 1948). 



Early larval development in other clinids resem- 

 bles that of Heterostichus, although few species have 

 been studied and none have been reared past the 

 yolk-sac stage. Other clinids are reported to hatch 

 at similar sizes and at comparable development 

 (Sparta 1948; Shiogaki and Dotsu 1972; Matarese 

 et al. 1984). As in Heterostichus, the yolk-sac stage 

 persists for 2-3 d (Shiogaki and Dotsu 1972), caudal 

 fin rays develop first (Matarese et al. 1984), and dor- 

 sal and anal fin rays form posteriorly to anteriorly 

 (Risso 1948; Shiogaki and Dotsu 1972; Matarese et 

 al. 1984). Flexion of the notochord appears to occur 

 at a smaller size in Heterostichus (mean 8.5 mm TL) 

 than in some other clinids (by 11.1 mm TL in Neo- 

 clinus and 11.52 mm TL in Clinus argentatus) (Spar- 

 ta 1948; Shiogaki and Dotsu 1972). 



3 Stepien, C. A. 1986b. Life history of the spotted kelpfish, Gib- 



bonsia elegans Cooper. Unpubl. manuscr. Marine Biology 

 Research Division A-002, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, 

 University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093. 



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