Tropical reef fishes belong to a broad phylogenetic group and, as a result, exhibit considerable diversity. Their only shared characteristic as an ecological entity is their fate as reef-associated adults. Their complex life cycles, in which pelagic larval phases alternate with demersal juvenile and adult phases, varies considerably within the early life history (ELH) stages (i.e., egg, larval, and juvenile stages) (Cowen and Sponaugle, 1997). This variability implies coral reef fishes have adapted differentially to the surrounding dynamic environment and may utilize different pathways while in the pelagic zone, to be transported nearshore at the time they metamorphose. Better description of transport patterns (e.g., dispersal and retention mechanisms) is essential for understanding the relationship between replenishment of larvae and their subsequent settlement at sites where transition into juveniles and adults can be achieved.

Graber, H.C., and C.B. Limouzy-Paris. 1997. Transport patterns of tropical reef fish larvae by spin-off eddies in the Straits of Florida. Oceanography 10(2):68–71, https://doi.org/10.5670/oceanog.1997.26.

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