Settlement and recruitment of the abalone Haliotis cyclobates Péron, 1816

Abstract

The settlement preference, distribution and juvenile recruitment distribution of Haliotis cyclobates were investigated in a seagrass meadow in Gulf St Vincent, South Australia, in 1993 and 1994. Samples of hard substratum and seagrass were collected from seagrass patches and open areas and examined for newly settled and 0+ recruits. Hard substrata consisted of small rocks, large bivalve shells and bottles. Twelve newly settled recruits (<3 mm) were found: 11 on seagrass and one on hard substratum. Settlement onto seagrass blades is the first field example of an abalone species settling naturally onto soft substratum. 0+ recruits (4–9 mm) were found from March to October, indicating a single spawning and settlement season. 0+ recruits were found on small isolated patches of hard substratum in open and seagrass areas, suggesting that post-settlement migration may have some influence on recruitment patterns. The results indicate that the early life history of Haliotis cyclobates is adapted for enhancing recruitment into seagrass areas. Settlement onto seagrass blades is different from that observed for other species of abalone, and clarification of the specific settlement cue may contribute to the understanding of abalone settlement behaviour.