Abstract
Although the post-larvae of many species of inshore penaeid prawns migrate from the sea into estuarine habitats the mechanisms by which this process occurs have not been adequately explained. Collections of penaeid post-larvae in the St. Lucia estuary in Natal, South Africa during flood and ebb tides, day and night, were dominated by Penaeus japonicus Bate and P. indicus Milne Edwards. P. indicus was most abundant over flood tides, day and night but P. japonicus was markedly more nocturnal and only abundant over night floods. Vertical distribution differed in the two species. P. japonicus was more abundant in bottom samples but this was much less apparent in P. indicus. It is suggested that movement into the water column is triggered by pressure changes and this is modified by light, salinity, and the nature of the substratum. These responses are discussed in relation to the invasion of estuaries by penaeid post-larvae and the apparent survival of P. indicus but not P. japonicus in the St. Lucia system.
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