Digby Paul Cyrus

CRUZ Environmental cc

The mullet species, Planiliza macrolepis and Moolgarda cunnesius, were collected seasonally from Mfolozi-Msunduzi Estuary on the east coast of South Africa in order to determine their diet. The gut contents of 178 fish with standard length (SL) ranging between 100 and 220 mm revealed strong evidence that in the Mfolozi-Msunduzi these fish rely heav...

Historically, the St Lucia Estuarine Lake System and uMfolozi River joined via an estuarine bay before exiting to the sea. In 1952, separate mouths were created, because of sediment problems originating from the uMfolozi River. During the 2004 drought, the mouth of the 525 km2 St Lucia System closed and has remained so to date, except for a single...

Penaeid and carid communities were assessed in St Lucia over a wide range of saline conditions, water level conditions and mouth states, including a six-month marine connection and various connections to the Mfolozi Estuary. Samples were collected biannually in spring and autumn from November 2004 to May 2012 using seine nets. Seven penaeid and sev...

The Mfolozi–Msunduzi estuarine system is subject to periodic dry and wet cycles, with subsequent changes in the abiotic and biotic characteristics of the system. The aim of the current study was to compare its mesozooplankton composition during relatively dry and wet periods. Mesozooplankton samples were collected between 2007 and 2010 in both the...

The life cycles of many marine and freshwater prawn species are closely associated with estuarine habitat. Here, the prawn community of the Mfolozi–Msunduzi estuarine system is described and the system's potential as an alternative nursery for prawns during prolonged closure of the adjacent St Lucia estuarine system is examined. Sampling was conduc...

Increasing water demand in coastal regions has resulted in the construction of weirs and barrages in coastal freshwaters. These form barriers to migrations of estuarine and euryhaline marine fishes and crustaceans. This study assessed the impact of loss of marine–estuarine–freshwater connectivity caused by a weir at the outlet of Lake Mzingazi, a c...

A four year study of the Nhlabane Estuary and Lake System was undertaken over the period 1992 to 1995. Data gathered clearly showed that in terms of ichthyofauna, the estuary plays an important role as a nursery ground for juveniles of marine species known to be dependent or partially dependent on these systems. The benthos was found to be typicall...

The purpose of the study was to verify the ability of the South African Scoring System version 4 (SASS4), to assess the health of aquatic ecosystems. The macro invertebrate community attributes of the Mhlathuze River (KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa) were studied by applying the SASS4 rapid bioassessment method. In testing the effect of spatial and tem...

This manual sets out a standardised and tested method for assessing the health of an estuary as a baseline and against which to set future objectives and measure progress according to management targets. Its intention is for use in the determination of the freshwater Reserve for estuaries (for which the method was originally developed by Turpie 199...

Leiognathus equula, a species generally regarded as a zoobenthic feeder, was the most abundant fish species sampled in the Mfolozi–Msunduzi estuarine system in 2008–2010, despite the zoobenthos in this system being impoverished. Four dietary assessment methods all confirmed that its diet, both spatially and temporally, was overwhelmingly dominated...

This study investigated the influence of salinity and cadmium on the survival and osmoregulatory capability of two decapod crustaceans, Callianassa kraussi and Chiromantes eulimene. Callianassa kraussi was able to survive in salinities of 5–55 over 96 h, whilst C. eulimene survived in 0–55 over the same time period. The 96-hour cadmium LC50 for bot...

The Lake St Lucia estuarine system is the most important nursery ground for juvenile marine fish and prawns along the KwaZulu-Natal coast. The estuary mouth closed in June 2002 because of drought and remained so for 4 years and 9 months. A study to determine the impacts of extended mouth closure, hypersalinity and low lake levels on the mesozooplan...

The St Lucia estuarine system, with an area of some 350 km2(Begg, 1978), is the largest and most important estuarine system situated along the east coast of southern Africa, comprising over 80% of the estuarine area of the province of KwaZulu-Natal. Its importance nationally is also substantial, as it comprises 50% of the total estuarine area of So...

A review of the conservation status of fish in the estuarine environment around the South African coastline reveals that some species face serious problems associated either with habitat destruction, and its associated biological, physical and chemical components or exploitation. The 65 species considered fall into three categories; truly estuarine...

The onset of a prolonged drought in the St Lucia catchment in 2002 and subsequent mouth closure raised concern for the biota of the estuary. Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife proposed a scheme whereby the Mfolozi–Msunduzi mouth would be closed, causing fresh water to enter the St Lucia Estuary to prevent excessively hypersaline conditions (>65) from developing...

The burrowing ocypodid crab, Paratylodiplax blephariskios, is endemic to the southeast coast of southern Africa where it forms an important component of the estuarine benthic fauna in muddy substrata. Two estuaries in KwaZulu-Natal, namely St. Lucia and the Mhlathuze, were chosen to investigate the influence of temperature, salinity, distance from...

The fish fauna of the subtropical Nhlabane estuary in northern KwaZulu-Natal was studied during a regional drought over the period 1991–1995. The estuary mouth closed in late 1991, due to the drought and to water abstraction from the system, and reopened only at the end of the drought in late 1995. The fish community underwent considerable changes...

This paper provides the first attempt to bring together all published and unpublished data on the aquatic avifauna of Lakes Mzingazi, Nsezi, Cubhu and Mangeza, situated near Richards Bay in the lower reaches of the Mhlathuze River system. Whilst the amount of data located was limited, it does show that the systems support a varied and important avi...

The fish faunas of the four Mhlathuze coastal lakes and the lower river comprise a diverse assortment of over fifty marine, estuarine and freshwater species. Three freshwater species are endemic to KwaZulu-Natal and nine estuarine species are endemic to southern Africa. Five species are of conservation significance. Species numbers in Lakes Mzingaz...

This note briefly introduces the concept of the Environmental Reserve of the new Water Act as well as the set of papers that follow that deal with specific components of the four coastal lakes at the lower end of the Mhlathuze System. These were originally prepared for the Department of Water Affairs and Forestry Lake Water Requirements study of th...

The fish community of the Mfolozi–Msunduzi estuarine system was investigated with particular emphasis on its role as a nursery area for marine fish when the adjacent St Lucia mouth is closed. The mouth was open during March 2007 and 2008 with high-turbidity river water flowing into the sea, and was closed during August 2007 and 2008. Fish were samp...

The mesozooplankton of the Mfolozi and Msunduzi estuaries, which share a combined mouth, was sampled twice per year during a two-year period of relatively low river flow. Samples were collected during March, after the rainy season when the estuary mouth was open, and during August, after the low-rainfall winter months when the mouth was closed. The...

The original structure and functioning of the historical Mfolozi–St Lucia estuarine system are described and anthropogenic impacts, which resulted in the Mfolozi and Msunduzi rivers being separated from the St Lucia Estuary and having their own combined mouth to the sea, are detailed. An overview is provided of the current ecological status of thre...

The Mfolozi–Msunduzi estuarine system historically shared a common mouth with the St Lucia estuarine system. In 1952, a separate mouth was created, 1.5 km south of St Lucia mouth, to prevent silt carried by the Mfolozi River from entering Lake St Lucia. Despite its proximity to the comparatively well-studied St Lucia Estuary, there is very little i...

St Lucia, the largest estuarine lake complex of its type in Africa, is characterised by natural physico-chemical spatial and temporal fluctuations. This estuary functions as an important nursery area making use of a number of different habitat types and associated environmental conditions. The system has been subject to a number of natural episodic...

The St Lucia Estuarine System, South Africa, has been under pressure due to recent drought conditions, which have led to closure of the mouth, extremely low lake levels and hypersaline conditions. The estuary mouth closed in June 2002 and remained so for almost 5 years before being breached by Cyclone Gamede in May 2007. After mouth closure in Augu...

Lake St Lucia, the largest estuarine lake in Africa has been subjected to hypersaline conditions and low lake levels over the past eight years following the closure of its mouth due to drought in the region. This paper documents the physical changes through which the lake has passed and summarises the main findings of research undertaken on the thr...

Mesozooplankton samples were collected between March 2005 and November 2008 in St Lucia, the largest estuarine lake system in South Africa. St Lucia experienced an extended period of drought before and during the present study. This drought led to natural closing of the estuary mouth as a result of flood-tide marine sediment deposition in 2002. In...

In 1998, a new Water Act was promulgated in South Africa. The basic premise of the Act is that a river and its associated estuary are recognised as having a legitimate right to water as a resource. These aquatic ecosystems are entitled to the quantity and quality of water that will allow them to maintain their basic ecological functions. This is th...

The Mfolozi estuary, located on the east coast of South Africa, was historically directly linked to the adjacent St Lucia estuarine system, the largest estuarine system in Africa and a World Heritage Site. The Mfolozi used to be the main feeder system to maintain lake levels in St Lucia, but increased siltation from sugar cane farming in the Mfoloz...

Port expansion at Richards Bay on the east coast of South Africa between 1996 and 1999 required the disposal of some 5,998,429 m3 of dredge spoil. This was deposited via a pipeline onto the adjacent beach and spilled into the swash zone. Current reversals in the near-shore environment resulted in transportation of some of the sediment to the south,...

Effects of the transfer of water from the Thukela to the Mvuzane River were investigated using the SASS rapid bioassessment technique and more quantitative methods of guild composition and community analyses. Although the transfer was relatively small (< 1 m 3 /s) it completely dominated natural flows in the recipient system. SASS monitoring was fo...

Many studies have recently described and interpreted the community structure and function of fishes inhabiting estuaries and other transitional waters in terms of categories or guilds. The latter describe the main features of the fishes’ biology and the way in which they use an estuary. However, the approach has been developed by different workers...

The recorded salinity ranges of freshwater, estuarine and marine fish species in Lake St Lucia, a Ramsar and World Heritage Site, are documented. The freshwater group is most diverse and abundant under oligohaline conditions, although the Mozambique tilapia (Oreochromis mossambicus) was common under all salinity regimes. Estuary resident species al...

The effects of an episodic event, involving the cyclonic flushing of, and associated rapid decrease in salinity in an estuarine system, on two faunal components was investigated. The rapid salinity decrease of some 25% had a direct, short-term effect on most components of the benthos of Lake St Lucia, as well as a long-term effect on the bivalves,...

The food and feeding ecology of five species of Genes in the estuaries of Natal, were investigated from 1978 to 1980. The Kosi system, consisting of an estuary and three main lakes was selected as the main study area due to an abundance of Genes. Four other estuarine systems were sampled. At Kosi polychaetes were important at the estuary, siphon ti...

An investigation of the reproductive state and gonad development of Gerreidae in Natal showed that the fry of Gerres rappi, G. acinaces and G. filamentosus entered estuaries at 10 mm (s.l.). They stayed in the estuary until attainment of maturity, which was between 70 and 110 mm according to species. Gonad activity was initiated in estuaries but al...

The occurrence and abundance of 17 species of Carangidae in Natal estuaries are described. The following six species are of significance in the estuarine community: Caranx ignobilis, C. melampygus, C. papuensis, C. sexfasciatus, Lichia amia and Scomberoides lysan. Only juveniles and subadults utilize estuaries. The time of recruitment, growth rates...

Ongoing drought conditions along the northern coast of KwaZulu-Natal resulted in the St Lucia Estuary mouth closing, and to evaporation leading to extremely low lake levels and the development of hypersaline conditions in most parts of the system. The mouth closed in June 2002 and has remained closed for more than three years. The St Lucia Estuarin...

The Lake St Lucia Estuarine System, South Africa, has been under pressure due to recent drought conditions, which led to extreme low lake levels, hypersaline conditions and closure of the mouth. The estuary mouth closed in June 2002 and has remained so for more than two-and-a-half years. A lack of information on biotic responses during extended clo...

Macrocrustacea of Richards Bay Harbour, sampled over a two-year period, were dominated by the Natantia and Brachyura. Species typically associated with subtropical and warm-temperate South African estuaries were most common. Relative abundances of prevalent groups are discussed and compared with published data from systems in South Africa and elsew...

A study was carried out to provide baseline data so that future impacts of an Inter Basin Transfer on the fish fauna of the Mvuzana River could be assessed. Seven species of fish were recorded, and all were present under natural and regulated flow conditions. Although there were no significant differences in community structure between natural and...

In total, 136 taxa of larval fishes representing at least 49 families were recorded in the Mhlathuze Estuary over one year. Community structure was very similar to that found in a similar study at the adjacent Richards Bay Harbour, with dominating families being the Engraulidae, Gobiidae, Sciaenidae and Clupeidae. Marine-spawned larvae dominated th...

The fish fauna of the Nhlabane estuary in northern KwaZulu-Natal was studied during a drought over the period 1992–95. The estuary mouth closed in late 1991, due to the drought as well as water abstraction from the system, and only reopened when the drought ended in late 1995. Fish were sampled by seine and gill-netting. Of 40 species recorded, mos...

Toxicity bioassays were conducted on groovy mullet, Liza dumerili, using copper and lead, in order to assess how these metals affected their blood haematology and acid-base balance. Short-term (96 hours) exposure to lead caused significantly more haematological response [PCO2] than copper, when compared to the control. When copper and lead were app...

This paper investigates the association of assemblages of 0+ juveniles and small fishes with different shallow-water habitats in Mhlathuze Estuary and the adjacent Richards Bay Harbour. Prior to harbour development, these systems comprised a single large estuarine system. Sampling was conducted on a quarterly basis using a finemesh (1 mm) small sei...

The structure of the larval fish assemblages along an ocean-estuarine gradient in the St Lucia region on the northern KwaZulu-Natal coast of South Africa was examined using a combination of univariate, distributional and multivariate techniques. The data was comprised of a full annual set of ichthyoplankton samples taken from three types of environ...

This paper reviews current information on the macroinvertebrates of four coastal lakes in the Mhlathuze catchment of Zululand. The fauna are described in terms of the potential influence of lake level changes in response to increasing anthropogenic pressures for available potable and industrial water resources. The aim of the study was to provide b...

An intra-basin transfer and the abstraction of water from aquatic systems in the Richards Bay area has led to the construction of six barriers which are restricting faunal movement, a reduction of flow to the Mhlathuze and Nhlabane estuaries and changes in the physico-chemical characteristics of four coastal lakes. These factors have severely impac...

From 1992 to 1994 the physico-chemical conditions of two systems on the east coast of southern Africa shifted from estuarine to freshwater as a result of mouth closure during the prevailing drought. Although there was gradual colonization by freshwater benthic invertebrates, both systems were dominated by estuarine benthic infauna. The upper reache...

The aquatic invertebrates found between the roots of Eichhornia crassipes plants from Lakes Cubhu and Nsezi were analysed and compared with each other. Root samples in Lake Cubhu were dominated by Corophium triaenonyx and Caridina nilotica whilst root samples from Lake Nsezi were dominated by oligochaetes, cladocerans and copepods. Species distribu...

 The structure of the larval fish assemblages in three large estuarine systems on the KwaZulu-Natal coast of South Africa was examined using a combination of univariate, distributional and multivariate techniques. The database was comprised of a full annual set of larval fish samples taken from each estuarine system: Durban Harbour, Richards Bay Ha...

Estuaries and associated coastal waters support many essential fisheries, a fact which contributes to their disproportionately high economic value. They are, however, also among the most extensively modified and threatened of aquatic environments. Almost all have been strongly affected by human beings, and fisheries are an integral part of human ac...

Trace metals such as zinc play an important role in the normal metabolic functioning of all organisms. However, metals can become toxic if background concentrations are exceeded in the environment. This study investigated the sublethal effects of zinc on the haematology of Oreochromis mossambicus at different water temperatures. Fish were exposed t...

The purpose of the study was to verify the ability of the South African Scoring System version 4 (SASS4), to assess the health of aquatic ecosystems. The macroinvertebrate community attributes of the Mhlathuze River (KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa) were studied by applying the SASS4 rapid bioassessment method. In testing the effect of spatial and temp...

This paper reports on the composition, abundance and distribution of the larval fish assemblage in the nearshore coastal waters off the St Lucia Estuary mouth, South Africa. Ichthyoplankton samples were collected over a 12 month period from five stations located along a transect up to 2·5 km offshore, and from two stations north and south of the es...

Brooke, R.K., Allan, D.G., Cooper, J., Cyrus, D.P., Dean, W.R.J., Dyer, B.M., Martin, A.P. & Taylor, R.H. 1999. Breeding distribution, population size and conservation of the Greyheaded Gull Larus cirrocephalus in southern Africa. Ostrich 70 (3&4): 157–163.The Greyheaded Gull Larus cirrocephalus occurs throughout southern Africa, both coastally and...

The zoobenthos of the Nhlabane coastal lake system in northern KwaZulu-Natal was sampled quarterly during 1992 in order to study the zoobenthic fauna of the Nhlabane lake and estuary. The ecology of the system was changed in 1977 when a barrage was constructed across the upper end of the estuary. Physico-chemical parameters revealed that the previo...

Distribution and abundance of flatfish species (<150 mm standard length) were related to habitat characteristics in the Newport River and Back Sound estuaries in North Carolina. Salinity, turbidity, depth, distance from marsh edge, benthic composition, and grain size were used to describe the different shallow water habitats from April through Octo...

Ichthyoplankton samples were collected every six weeks at night on consecutive ebb and flood tides over an 18-month period (June 1991–December 1992) at surface, middle and bottom depths near the entrance of Durban Harbour to investigate the composition, abundance, seasonality and developmental stages of fish larvae in the harbour. In all, 8 797 fis...

The Nhlabane Estuary, located on the north-east coast of South Africa, is situated in a titanium dune mining lease area. During 1993, a mining dredger and concentrator crossed the middle reaches of the estuary. For this purpose, two berm walls were constructed across the estuary. Two impacts stemmed from the crossing. A series of fine sediment intr...

Nhlabane coastal lake and estuary system in South Africa is divided by a permanent barrage constructed at the outlet of the lake. This study compared the zooplankton assemblages of the lake and estuary systems after 15 years of separation. Before sampling commenced the mouth of the estuary closed and remained so throughout the duration of the study...

The fish fauna of the Mhlathuze estuary was reviewed making reference to surveys dating from 1948 to 1997. The concept of Estuarine Dependence Category was employed to describe species affinities with the marine, estuarine and freshwater environments. At least 121 species of fish from 49 families have been recorded from the estuary in the reference...

This paper is the first published review of the aquatic avifauna of the Mhlathuze Estuary. It also uses a regional approach in order to determine the potential for certain hitherto unrecorded species to occur there. The study shows that there appear to have been significant changes in the aquatic avifauna over the past 15 years and that these have,...

This note briefly introduces the concept of the Environmental Reserve of the New Water Act as well as the set of papers hereafter which deal with specific components of the ecology of the Mhlathuze Estuary. These were prepared for an Estuarine Flow Requirements study of the system. Each forms an up-to-date review of the specific topic it deals with...

This paper reviews historical and current ecological information on macrobenthos from the Mhlathuze Estuary before and after development of the Richards Bay Harbour. The fauna is described in terms of the potential influence of a change in freshwater inflow to the system and the requirements for the setting of an Ecological Reserve. Over 95% of the...

The present study examined the composition, abundance and seasonality of fish larvae occurring in Richards Bay Harbour, over an 18-month period from June 1991 to November 1992. Ichthyoplankton samples were collected every six weeks at top, mid and bottom depths in the dredged channel 100 to 200 m from the harbour entrance. A total of 7 163 fish lar...

The diet of Sillago sihama, a species whose juveniles occur regularly in KwaZulu-Natal estuaries, was investigated in Richards Bay, Durban bay and Mlalazi Estuary. The species was carnivorous in all three systems, with a distinct size-related change in diet being noted. Small individuals (<60 mm SL) consumed primarily planktonic prey (mainly larvac...

The new species is characterized by the unique shape of the antennule, antenna and maxilla. In addition, huge scales are present on the mouth tube and smaller scales are present on the base of the mouth tube. A row of small spines is present inside the sucker rim of the maxillule. A round dimpled structure occurs ventral to the male gonopore and th...

Drought conditions in the Richards Bay area coupled with abstraction for domestic and industrial use caused freshwater outflow from Lake Mzingazi to cease in February 1992. This led to the tidal intrusion of saline water from Richards Bay into the Mzingazi River. The extent of the intrusion up the river and into the groundwater was determined and t...

1. There has been increasing concern in South Africa in recent years regarding the biological status of estuaries in the region. 2. Loss of estuarine habitat in KwaZulu-Natal through sedimentation and increasing frequency of mouth closure has to some extent been mitigated by the development of harbours at Richards Bay and Durban which, despite exte...

Estuaries and lagoons along the South African coast provide the only sheltered conditions on an otherwise high energy coast. The juveniles of numerous marine species, some of which are dependent on estuaries, utilize these as nursery grounds where they remain until attaining maturity. Currently most KwaZulu-Natal estuaries are being impacted upon b...

An unusually cold spell during the winter of 1987 caused a drop in water temperature at Lake St Lucia. This coupled with typical estuarine salinities in the lake resulted in a fish kill. The kill was one of the largest recorded in a South African estuarine environment and involved an estimated 250,000 fish comprising at least 21 species. Most fish...

Composition, seasonality and developmental stages of larval and juvenile fish in the surf zone adjacent to the St Lucia Estuary mouth, KwaZulu-Natal, were investigated. Samples were collected monthly, from February 1992 to January 1993, at six stations along the beach north of the estuary mouth. A 24-h study was also undertaken in the surf zone whe...

The composition of the larval fish assemblage at the mouth of the Kosi Estuary, KwaZulu-Natal, was investigated. Fish larvae were collected from a sample site adjacent to a rocky reef within the estuary, 200 m upstream from the mouth, on six occasions between January 1988 and March 1989. A total of 2 418 fish larvae, representing 60 families and 15...

Ichthyoplankton samples were collected over 12 consecutive months. at a fixed station 4 km upstream from the mouth of the St Lucia Estuary, in order to study the recruitment of fish larvae into the estuary. In all, 51 690 fish larvae, representing 44 families and 85 species, were collected. The Gobiidae and the Clupeidae were the two dominant famil...

A preliminary investigation of the zooplankton in the open water areas of Lake Cubhu, a shallow, freshwater coastal lake near Richards Bay was conducted on a monthly basis during 1988. Species densities and species richness in the lake were low. The zooplankton community comprised 15 taxa which were numerically dominated by 2 species of cyclopoid c...

The effects of a substantial drop in water temperature, during a cold spell, on the fish fauna and breeding success of Caspian terns at Lake St Lucia were investigated. The immediate and direct short-term effect of this episodic event was a massive fish kill, whereas the indirect and potentially more serious long-term effect was for Caspian terns t...

St Lucia Lake on the north coast of Natal, South Africa, has an area of 325 km2 and is the largest estuarine complex in Africa. It consists of a 20 km tidal channel, averagingca. 400 m in width, linking the sea with the non-tidal lake which is H-shaped with a maximum length ofca. 40 km and width ofca. 20 km. Except during flood periods the depth of...

A study of the diet and reproductive activity of Gilchristella aestuaria revealed that active gonads were present throughout the year. The main breeding season appeared to be from spring through to autumn with two distinct peaks occurring from August to October and February to April. The species diet in Lake Cubhu consisted predominantly of the amp...

Turbidity and salinity and their influences on fish distribution were studied for two and a half years in the Embley Estuary in tropical northern Australia. Both turbidity and salinity varied significantly during the year but three clearly distinguishable seasonal patterns existed. These are referred to as the Wet, Early Dry and Late Dry Seasons. D...

The St Lucia estuarine system is the largest of its kind in Africa. Torrential rains from Cyclone Domoina during late January 1984, followed two weeks later by Cyclone Imboa, caused extensive flooding of the St Lucia system reducing salinities from a maximum of S=60 to S = 5 over a period of two weeks. The effects of this disturbance on the ichthyo...

The St Lucia lake and estuarine system in northern Natal, South Africa was struck by Cyclone Domoina on 31 January 1984. This is the only cyclone known to have traversed part of South Africa. The ensuing flood levels in the St Lucia system (which have been exceeded perhaps only one other time in recorded history) provided an opportunity to assess t...

Cooper, J., Brooke, R.K., Cyrus, D.P., Martin, A.P., Taylor, R.H. & Williams, A.J. 1992. Distribution, population size and conservation of the Caspian Tern Sterna caspia in southern Africa. Ostrich 63: 58–67.The Caspian Tern Sterna caspia occurs along the whole southern African coastline and on large river systems and water bodies away from the coa...

Research undertaken in two widely separated estuaries in the Indo-Pacific, showed that both have distinct turbidity gradients. In the turbid St Lucia System, on the South East Coast of Africa (range 2 to 568 Nephelometric Turbidity Units (NTU)), different turbidity patterns were observed during summer and winter. The Embley Estuary, on the eastern...

Input of postlarval stages into the penaeid prawn stocks of Natal, South Africa, was investigated by monitoring immigration into the St Lucia and Kosi estuaries. Five species, Penaeus japonicus Bate, P. indicus Milne Edwards, P. semisulcatus de Haan, P. monodon Fabricius and Metapenaeus monoceros (Fabricius) were recorded. Recruitment into the more...

This paper reviews the ecology of flatfish species associated with estuaries in southern Africa. Information from estuarine and coastal studies carried out in this region over the past 25 years indicates that only 4 of the 56 flatfish species occurring in the region utilize estuaries during part of their life histories. The suitability of estuaries...

Several aspects of the biology of Solea bleekeri in Lake St Lucia were investigated, these included occurrence, distribution, reproduction and recruitment, food and feeding, size frequency distribution and the role of estuaries in the species' life cycle. Solea bleekeri was found to occur throughout the system in muddy turbid areas and was largely...

Solea bleekeri occurs throughout the predominantly muddy and highly turbid Lake St Lucia, with juveniles and adults being present throughout the year. Evidence is presented to support the hypothesis that S. bleekeri breeds in specific parts of the lake and that spawning takes place between September and December following a southward migration of r...