Comparative variation in spawning output and juvenile recruitment of some Caribbean reef fishes

It is generally accepted that the intensity of recruitment of pelagic young of temperate marine fishes is determined primarily by events that affect young as larvae, and that pelagic processes substantially increase variation in recruitment over the level expected from variation in spawning output alone. Spawning and recruitment of 6 species of Caribbean damselfishes were monitored monthly at a site in Panama for 1 to 3 yr (1983 to 1987) and 7 to 10 yr (1980 to 1989), respectively.