The Surf Zone Ichthyoplankton Adjacent to an Intermittently Open Estuary, with Evidence of Recruitment during Marine Overwash Events

The composition, structure and seasonality of ichthyoplankton in the surf zone adjacent to the mouth of the intermittently open East Kleinemonde Estuary (33°32ʹS, 27°03ʹE) were investigated over a period of 2 years. Altogether 451 fishes, representing at least 21 taxa from 14 families, were collected. The assemblage was dominated by postflexion larvae of euryhaline marine species that are dependent on estuaries as nursery areas. The sparid Rhabdosargus holubi was the most abundant taxon and constituted more than 77% of the total catch. A distinct modal size class was identified forR. holubi , while the mean individual size of this and other abundant taxa was comparable to the observed recruitment size range reported from a wide variety of estuarine nursery habitats in southern Africa. Periodic regression analyses revealed significant peaks in abundance of larval R. holubi during late winter (August), at down and dusk, at new and full moon (spring tides), and on the flood stage of the tidal cycle. Evidence for estuarine immigration during marine overwash events (surging rough seas that enter the estuary) is provided by (1) the stranding of postflexion larvae in the region of the closed estuary mouth following these events, and (2) back extrapolation from length modes within the estuary to coincide with such an event. The advantages and disadvantages of such a recruitment strategy are discussed.