SD=.87, range= 

 emergence had 

 transition (Fi 

 settlement ban 

 the band (Fig. 

 increment in a 

 band . 



Clearly, th 

 planktonic lar 

 sand to metamo 

 corresponds to 

 into a juvenil 

 emerges. The 

 therefore, be 

 increments in 

 ind i vidual . 



4 to 7). Individuals killed immediately after 

 a completed settlement band after the settlement 

 g. IB). Juveniles captured on the reef had the 

 d as well as some number of clear increments after 



1C and 2). The smallest fish captured had only one 

 ddition to the five faint increments making up the 



e abrupt settlement transition occurs when the 

 va settles onto the reef and buries itself in the 

 rphose. The settlement band of five faint increments 



the five days during which the larva metamorphoses 

 e. Regular increments resume when the juvenile 

 faint increments within the settlement band should, 

 included when counting the number of post-settlement 

 order to determine the settlement date for an 



DISCUSSION 



These results demonstrate that it cannot be assumed that 

 juvenile fish caught at their first appearance on the reef s 

 that day or the previous night. Furthermore, marks should n 

 interpreted as settlement marks unless they have been 

 experimentally demonstrated to occur at the time of settleme 

 rather than during the process of metamorphosis, which could 

 place at some other time. Many fishes metamorphose (i.e., ta 

 the body form and color of juveniles) before settlement; 

 as in the barracudas (Sphyraenidae) , butterf lyf ishes 

 (Chaetodontidae) , angelf ishes (Pomacanthidae) , some damselfi 

 (Pomacentr idae) , scorpionf ishes (Scorpaenidae) , filef ishes 

 (Monacanthidae) , triggerf ishes (Bal istidae) , and pufferfishe 

 (Tetraodontidae) . Others metamorphose after settlement, as 

 wrasses (Labridae), parrotf ishes (Scaridae), and some of the 

 (Sciaenidae) (Victor , unpublished data). Sciaenids of the gen 

 Pareques in the Caribbean not only settle when very small an 

 transparent, but even before their full complement of fin ra 

 developed (Powles & Burgess , 1978) . 



The settlement transition is particularly clear on the ot 

 of wrasses, probably because the transition from life in the 

 plankton to entombment in the sand is so profound. More sub 

 changes in life style have been demonstrated to produce quit 

 subtle changes in the character of increments in grunts (Bro 

 McFarland , 1981) . The increments that can often be discerned 

 the settlement band in wrasses are unusual in being fainter 

 often wider than increments anywhere else on the otolith. I 

 width of otolith increments were a measure of the daily grow 

 rate, it would mean that during metamorphosis the larva is g 

 quickly, even though it is, presumably, not eating. Since 1 

 temperature, and food cycles appear to control the formation 

 increments in fishes (Mugiya,e_t al., 1981; Neilson & Geen,198 

 and wrasse larvae remain ouried Tn the sand while increments 

 produced, it is quite possible that some entrained circadian 

 continues during metamorphosis. Juvenile wrasses that are 



ettled 

 ot be 



nt 



take 

 ke on 



shes 



s 



in the 

 drums 

 us 

 d 

 ys have 



ol iths 



tie 

 e 

 thers & 



wi thin 

 and 

 f the 

 th 



rowing 

 ight , 



of daily 

 2) , 



are 



rhythm 



50 



