In situ observation of settlement behaviour in larvae of coral reef fishes at night

The swimming behaviour of 534 coral reef fish larvae from 27 species was explored at Moorea Island (French Polynesia) while they searched for a suitable settlement habitat, on the first night of their lagoon life. Most larvae swam actively (74%) and avoided the bottom (77%). A significant relationship was highlighted between the vertical position of larvae in the water column and the distance they travelled from lagoon entrance to settlement habitat: larvae swimming close to the surface settled farther away on the reef than bottom-dwelling larvae. (C) 2008 The Authors. Journal compilation (C) 2008 The Fisheries Society of the British Isles.