Hobson et a!.: Predation on first-year Sebastes spp. 
297 
Figure 3 
Annual measures ofYOY Sebastes spp. near shore off Mendocino. 1977 to 1987. Measures repre- 
senting 1977 to 1982 represent estimated proportions of the abundance observed during 1977. 
Measures representing 1983 to 1987 represent visual counts in the environment. The two panels, 
estimates and counts, are equated in the same way that the estimates of 1978-82 are related to 
those of 1977, i.e. by extracting from the 1985 field notes a consensus that abundance that year 
was approximately that of 1977. Each annual measure is the average of all individual samples 
from that year. 
Table 2 
Standard length (SL, 
in cm) ofYOY Sebastes spp. 
recovered from gut contents (n=number for which 
size was 
recorded 7 ). 
June 
July 
August 
Sebastes species 
n 
SL range 
n 
SL range 
n 
SL range 
S. melanops 
93 
3. 0-5. 5 
29 
4.0-6. 4 
24- 
4. 0-8.0 
S. mystinus 
18 
3. 5-5.5 
4 
4.0-5. 4 
0 
0-0 
H. decagrammus 
45 
2.9-5. 5 
11 
4. 0-5. 5 
3 
4. 4-5.0 
' Not all YOY recovered from gut-contents were measured. When samples included >2 individuals of one species, or indistinguishable as species, only 
the largest and smallest were measured. These samples were analyzed to characterize food habits and the intent of the analysis was simply to 
determine range of sizes consumed. Also, records of S. paiicispinus are excluded because this species grows much faster than the others, and several 
individuals of the subject species were excluded because it was evident they were in their second year. 
- Two distinct groups are included here < /=9. 129, 4 df, P<0.001). Nineteen ranged from 4,0 to 6.0 cm SL, whereas the other five ranged from 7.0 to 
8.0 cm SL. 
Table 3 
Number ofYOY Sebastes spp. consumed by each of the three predator species during June, July, August, and during all other 
months, 1977-87 (values in parentheses=number predators examined that had gut contents). 
Sebastes species 
June 
July 
August 
All other 
S. melanops 
313 (57) 
44 (53) 
40 (31) 
1 (37) 
S. mystinus 
32 (100) 
5 (37) 
0 (95) 
1 (286) 
H. decagrammus 
81 (75) 
12 (51) 
4 ( 65 ) 
4 (142) 
