Damselfish Blackaxil Puller lava Chromis atripectoralis, close to the surface near Lizard Island. Photo credit: Colin Wen

Damselfish Blackaxil Puller lava, Chromis atripectoralis, near Lizard Island. Photo credit: Colin Wen

 

Marine fish begin as eggs, hatch as larvae and go through further phases to adulthood. Once the eggs hatch, the larvae are entirely on their own, with no parental care or training. Knowledge of the larval phase for each species is vital to our understanding of the connectivity of fish populations along the Great Barrier Reef. It also informs policy and management decisions on conservation and sustainable fishing.

No larger than the tiny egg from which they come, newly-hatched larvae are unable to propel themselves.  As these tiny larvae develop, for them swimming through the sea is like swimming through honey.  Some stay close to where they were spawned, but most new larvae from marine species are dispersed by ocean currents as plankton – the collective name for multitude of tiny passive organisms found mainly in the pelagic open-water part of the ocean.  As their sensory, swimming endurance, navigation and feeding capabilities increase, larval fish gradually develop the ability to swim towards a suitable adult habitat, such as a nearby coral reef.

Amanda Hay, Jeff Leis & Colin Wen field-researching off Lizard Island. Photo Credit: Amanda Sordes

 

Dr Jeff Leis, Amanda Hay and their collaborating scientists have undertaken extensive investigation of the complex behaviour of pelagic larvae of coral reef fishes at the Australian Museum’s Lizard Island Research Station.  Among their findings:

  • Tiny 1 cm long Damselfish (Blackaxil Puller Chromis atripectoralis) larvae can swim at more than 1 km per hour, or 28 body lengths per second.  Swimming at half this speed, they can travel around 15 km without food or rest.  This is faster than the average currents around Lizard Island.- See Hey Little Damsel Where Are You Heading?

The field research at Lizard Island was conducted using scuba equipment and this Drifting In Situ Chamber (DISC) device invented by Dr. Claire Paris

Drifting In Situ Chamber (DISC) device deployed at Lizard Island. Photo credit: Lyle Vail

 

Large scientists (Amanda & Jeff) recording tiny baby fish. Photo credit: Kun-Ping Kan

 

These tiny Damselfish larvae are approximately 9 mm in length.  Mature adults range up to 12 cm.

Damselfish (Blackaxil Puller Chromis atripectoralis) larvae. Photo credit: Amanda Hay