Swimming Speeds in Larval Fishes: From Escaping Predators to the Potential for Long Distance Migration

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.