Abstract
Temperature and salinity tolerances of juvenile Rhabdosargus holubi (Steindachner) were determined experimentally. Results indicated that they are tolerant over a wide range of salinities (0.7–70‰) and temperatures (10–30°C) and that little interaction between temperature and salinity occurs. R. holubi is restricted to the warm temperate waters of southeastern Africa. It is absent from the subtropical Indian Ocean and from temperate Atlantic Ocean waters. The juveniles occur mainly in the inshore waters and estuaries. Evidence from tolerance experiments and salinity and temperature data from southern African estuaries suggested that the distribution of R. holubi is controlled by temperature.