The systematic underwater observations on the larval red sea bream Pagrus major, cultured for liberation in the semi-wild extensive farming saline pond (Fig.1 ) 1),2) were carried out at 160 stations by using scuba during a period from 6th of June to 16th of July in 1980. The fish grew in the No.1 pond as shown in Fig.2 during the observation. In turbid water, where prey organisms, pelagic and demersal, were propagated, the observable range were limited to 0-50 cm in surface layer, and to bottom-30 cm above in bottom layer, beside to horizontal 30 cm on both side of diving course. The OCCURRENCE, numbers of the fish observed along 2 m line of each station, was recorded (Tab.1 : surface layer; Tab.2: bottom layer).
Results: 1) The total of OCCURRENCE (Fig.3) was larger in surface layer than in bottom layer when the larvae were 6-8 mm long in their total length, and then it gradually increased in bottom layer during middle and late June when they grew to 15-35 mm, and finally leveled off in July. Horizontal distribution of fish, expressed by rim total of OCCURRENCE for each observation (Fig.4), was shown to be uniform over the bottom, except the structural shallower portions of the pond (b, o: near shore and k; upper bank). Frequency distributions of the OCCURRENCE could be splitted into 4 components of Poisson distribution (Fig.6): means of each component ("A" to "D") were < 1,4,10, and 30-40, respectively, implying an existence of different types of grouping of the fishes with different density. Temporal change in compositions of those Poisson components (Fig.6), might show the change of appearance of "groups" over the bottom, as following: at first sparsely ("A") then gradually densely inhabited by "B", "C" and "D" in turn, presumably each corresponding to "solitary", "aggregated" and "school"10). Values of MORISITA's Iδ- Index 3), as measure of dispersion of individuals of the fish in flat portion of the pond (Fig.5), drop at the first step of appearance in bottom, then level off about Iδ=1.2-1.5, and finally go upward. Those imformations tell us the 2-3 size groups growing in the pond (Fig.2) might inhabit efficiently the bottom space niche. changing their types of grouping.
2) The morphological characteristic feature on elongation of 1st soft ray of ventral fin (Fig.11) between S.L. 6-20 has presumably certain behavioral significance relating to the opening of sedentary life of the fish 4)5). At the similar phase, the aggressive behavior of solitary individual, observed on the beach portion of the pond in 1978 (Tab.3, Fig.10 and Fig.12), was shown by about 1/3 of individuals which were 15-25 mm long and by about 1/4 of those being 25-35 mm long in total length. In the night observation in 1980, the OCCUIXRENCE of the fish crowded in the light of underwater lamp, was counted (Fig.13). The OCCURRENCE decrease gradually by time, and size of those fish (Fig.2, black bar) were also differing gradually from the previously grown ones. Those fish crowded in the light would appear as the feeder of light attracted plankton from necessity, sharing food niche of the pond with other size groups.
3) Those size groups in the pond utilize their niche, adjusted each other, space and food. And "persist with" or "shift from" their habitat after liberation is discussed from viewpoint of feeding strategy of fish for surival 12)-23)