ABSTRACT
The vast majority of marine, teleost fishes undergo a life history phase involving some kind of larval stage, typically spending at least some time in the open ocean. For many reef associated fishes, this represents a distinct and ecologically different phase in their life cycle, potentially instilling a unique set of demands on their swimming capabilities. Survival of larval fishes is very low, and even small changes in survival rates can have a substantial influence on the success of a cohort and subsequent levels of recruitment into the adult population (Houde, 1989b). Small size at birth makes larval fishes highly vulnerable to predation and the rapid development of swimming capabilities is essential for escaping from predators. In addition, their small size, along with the necessity for rapid growth to enhance survival, means larval fishes will have high metabolic requirements and will be vulnerable to starvation (Nilsson et al., 2007). Coupled 334with the apparent paucity and patchiness of available food in the ocean the development of cruising swimming capabilities and efficient search behaviour is critical to their foraging success, dramatically influencing search volumes and prey encounter rates.
