Juvenile fishes associated with floating seaweeds in the central Seto Inland Sea, Japan

Abstract

Juvenile fishes associated with floating seaweeds in the central Seto Inland Sea were investigated during the period from April 1997 to September 1998. A total of 10,816 fish individuals of 34 species representing 22 families were collected from 1,661 seaweed masses. The number of fish species and individuals per mass of floating seaweeds collected increased in spring, peaked in June, and decreased in autumn and winter. Dominant fish species were Sebastes schlegeli, S. inermis and Enedrias nebulosa in spring, Rudarius ercodes, Syngnathus schlegeli, Thamunaconus modestus and Stephanolepis crirrhifer in summer, Petroscirtes breviceps, R. ercodes and S. schlegeli in autumn and Hexagrammos agrammus in winter.