NALU NIjKA \ San Bias 



March 10, 1979 - Swim from Smithsoniantuppu to Naluneka T s dock & back, nothing, 

 it is windy & visibility is not very good either. Night lite from 7 to 9 p.m., 

 nothing. 



NIATUPPU 



March 11, 1979 - Tow around both islands, nothing. Later on we run into a group 

 of 23 larges & mediums, nothing is happening, some very mild courtship from some 

 very young mediums males, but nothing else. 



PANETUPPU 



March 12, 1979 - Tow around nursery, and then on to Tiatuppu & Piriatuppu. We 



spot some 15- large & med. We photographs O some action, courtship 6c lots of 



patterns. In the afternoon 1 photographed a group of some 60 juveniles on sand 



drop off next to Panetuppu caused by the incoming current from the algal reef. 



Both this drop off & the protected grass flat are perhaps the reason for it 



being an ideal area for the young. The grass fiat offers protection while the 



current drop off carries sufficient nutrients necessary to maintain the young. 



There are very small minnows and lots of macroscopic organisms in suspension. 



At first glance the impression one gets is that the group of young squid is not 



in formation, each individual is at a different level giving the impression that 



they are bits of sargassum slowly sinking to the bottom, one could pass them as 



so much debris. Upon observing them for a while I notice that there is some structure 



to the group, the large juveniles are high & nearest to the waters surface they 



diminish in size, the deeper one goes. I elers*ed a diving tank and swim to a 



depth of 40-45 ft. There I run into a large group of very small young. They 



each have an overall length of no more than 15 mm. I don't think they are 



-ft*. 



more than 2 weeks old. I photograph them with Barbara's camera both in color 

 & black and white. These little ones produce the same postures as tkeeessof 

 their larger counterparts, however, having fewer & larger chromathophores in 

 relation to their body size cannot produce the same color patterns that the 

 larger juveniles produce, but they certainly try. 



While 1 am photographing, a 20"* mackerel rushes a young squid the mackerel 

 attacks and misses, the young squid inks pales & b*w«g up almost vertically 

 towards the surface, then stops after moving only 5-7 ft from where it released 

 the ink, it bars & takes the contort posture. The mackerel swims in circles 

 within the ink bibs, stops for a few seconds & swims slowlly away in the direc- 

 tion from where it came. I am not sure but when it swam away it gave me the 



