Several coastal fish use the estuarine habitat during a part of their life cycle. These sites are considered good for the reproductive activity, as well as for the growth of larvae and juveniles. Concerning the Gerreidae, however, many studies reveal that most species leave the estuaries to reproduce at sea. At Guaratuba Bay, southern Brazil, this family is represented by three genera and five species, which make an important fraction of the local assemblage. The present study investigated the populational structure and breeding habits of three Eucinostomus species, in order to know what relationship exists between them and the mangrove. It was found that the Guaratuba mangrove represents a transitory habitat for the life cycle of the Eucinostomus species. The sub-adults grow in the mangrove throughout the year and leave this milieu in spring or summer, when they complete the gonadal maturation and presumably spawn. E. argenteus and E. gula do not return to the mangrove after spawning. The three species feed mainly on polychaetes, but differences occur with respect to the secondary components of the diet.
Fish; Gerreidae; Estuaries; Mangrove
