the dog snapper (]^. jocu ), and the yellow- 

 tail snapper ( Ocyurus chrysurus ) all occur 

 in low numbers, relative to the grey snap- 

 per, as juveniles near shore over grass in 

 the Florida Keys (Springer and McErlean 

 1962b; Bader and Roessler 1971; Roessler 

 1965). 



Of the Ponadasyidae, juvenile pigfish 

 ( Orthopristic chrysoptera ) are abundant on 

 muddy bottoms and turbid water in Flor- 

 ida's variable salinity regions; adults 

 and juveniles were collected throughout 

 the year in Florida Bay (Tabb and Manning 

 1961; Tabb et al . 1962) and Rookery Bay 

 (Yokel 1975a). The white grunt ( Haemulon 

 plumeri ) is common throughout south Flor- 

 ida, occurring most often over turtle 

 grass beds in clear water as juveniles 

 (Tabb and Manning 1961; Roessler 1965; 

 Bader and Roessler 1971; Weinstein and 

 Heck 1979). Adults were not found over 

 grass during the day, but were abundant 

 diurnally on coral reefs and at night over 

 grass and sand flats adjacent to coral 

 reefs (Starck and Davis 1966; Davis 1967), 

 Tabb et al , (1962) lists the pigfish and 

 the white grunt as typical residents of 

 the turtle grass community of Florida Bay. 

 Other grunts, including Anisotremus vir- 

 qinic us, Haenulon sciurus , and H^. aurol in- 

 eatum , occur over grass only rarely 



southwestern 

 (Tabb and 

 1979). 



Manning 



over grass only rarely in 

 Florida and Florida Bay, 

 1961; V/einstein and Heck 



Clearer water, higher and less vari- 

 able oceanic salinities, and the proximity 

 of coral reefs may account for the in- 

 creased species richness of juvenile 

 pomadasyids in Florida Keys inshore grass 

 beds. In addition to the species already 



mentioned (except 0. chrysoptera ), Haemu- 

 lon flavol ineatum , H_. parrai and H^. car- 

 bonarium are also present as juveniles in 

 these waters (Springer and McErlean 1962b; 

 Roessler 1965; Bader and Roessler 1971; 

 Brook 1975). 



In addition to lutjanids and pomada- 

 syids, other coral reef fishes use sea- 

 grass beds as nurseries. Surgeon fishes 

 are found as juveniles in grass beds: most 

 commonly the ocean surgeon ( Acanthurus 

 bahianus ) and the doctorfish (A^. chirur- 

 gus ). The spotted goatfish ( Pseudupeneus 

 maculatus ) and the yellow goatfish ( Mul- 

 loidicthys martinicus ) occur as juveniles 

 in grass beds (Munro 1976; Randall 1968). 

 The spotted goatfish was taken at Mate- 

 cumbe Key (Springer and McErlean 1962b). 

 Parrotfish (Scaridae) are often the most 

 abundant fishes on reefs (Randall 1968). 

 Springer and McErlean 

 seines on Matecumbe Key, 

 cies of scarids in turtle 

 of these were juveniles; 

 soma 



(1962b), using 

 found eight spe- 

 grass beds. All 

 however, Spari- 

 radians and S^. chrysopterum are also 

 small fishes which continually reside in 

 seagrasses. The latter is also found on 

 reefs (Randall 1967, 1968). The emerald 

 parrotfish ( Nichol sina usta ), which is 

 most common in seagrass (l^andall 1968), 

 was taken on Matecumbe Key, as well as in 

 Biscayne Bay (Bader and Roessler 1971). 

 The remaining species of parrotfishes, 

 Sparisoma viride and S^. rubripine and 

 Scarus croicensis , S^. quacamaia , and S^. 

 coeruleus , are present on reefs as adults, 

 are less common in Biscayne Bay (Roessler 

 1965; Bader and Roessler 1971), and are 

 absent in Card Sound (Bader and Roessler 

 1971; Brook 1975). 



83 



