Abstract

The distribution and the growth of larval rockfish Sebastes capensis were studied during two oceanographic cruises carried out in a sector of the Chilean fjords (43°30′S-46°S) during spring 2002 (November) and winter 2003 (August). Abundance (up to 600 per 10 m2) of pre- and post-flexion larvae was higher during the austral spring than in winter (20 per 10 m2). Larvae were smaller principally above the halocline in the first 50 m of the water column throughout the channels and fjords; in contrast, post-flexion larvae were more abundant seawards and were totally absent in the freshest waters. Analysis of the otoliths indicated that larvae between 3.3 and 12.2-mm standard length collected during November grew 0.15 mm d-1. Additionally, it showed that older larvae from the outer part of the channels and over the shelf laid down wider otolith increments than larvae found in the interior waters, coinciding with the area of greatest abundance of larger calanoid copepods. Ontogenetic differences in distributions suggest that different habitats are utilized during the early life stages of S. capensis, and that they seem to be shared with several other Sebastes species. However, the mechanisms for transport in different areas vary widely, making the question of the evolutionary forces driving these ontogenetic changes in distribution even more intriguing. © 2006 International Council for the Exploration of the Sea.