JAY R. ROOKER, SCOTT A. HOLT, G. JOAN HOLT, AND MANUEL A. SOTO, The University of Texas at Austin, Marine Science Institute, 750 Channelview Drive, Port Aransas, Texas 78373, USA

Spatial and temporal patterns in recruitment and nursery habitat use were examined for sciaenids utilizing seagrass meadows in the Aransas Estuary, Texas. A total of 5,443 sciaenid larvae and early juveniles were identified from biweekly epibenthic sled collections taken from August 1994 to August 1995. Five species were abundant in seagrass meadows during the post-settlement phase: Atlantic croaker Micropogonias undulatus, red drum Sciaenops ocellatus, silver perch Bairdiella chrysoura, spot Leiostomus xanthurus, and spotted seatrout Cynoscion nebulosus. Recruitment among the five sciaenids was partitioned temporally, potentially minimizing competition for resources in nursery habitats. Length-frequency distributions indicated that individuals from inshore spawners (red drum, silver perch, spotted seatrout) recruit to seagrass meadows at smaller sizes than individuals spawned offshore (Atlantic croaker, spot). In addition, recruits from inshore spawners appeared to 'settle and stay' in nursery habitats, while residency by offshore spawned individuals was limited in duration. Density of new recruits was highly variable within and among species. During peak recruitment, mean and maximum densities among species ranged from 0.1 - 0.8 m-2 and 0.7 - 23.8 m-2, respectively. Density and mean size of sciaenids differed significantly between habitats (Halodule wrightii, Thalassia testudinum) and among sites within the estuary.