Premium
Influence of salinity on the migration of postlarval and juvenile flounder Pleuronectes flesus L. in a gradient experiment
Author(s) -
Bos A. R.,
Thiel R.
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
journal of fish biology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.672
H-Index - 115
eISSN - 1095-8649
pISSN - 0022-1112
DOI - 10.1111/j.0022-1112.2006.01023.x
Subject(s) - pleuronectes , flounder , biology , salinity , metamorphosis , juvenile , pleuronectidae , larva , flatfish , fishery , cannibalism , diel vertical migration , zoology , ecology , fish <actinopterygii>
The behaviour of the flounder Pleuronectes flesus was observed in an experimental aquarium that consisted of five connected units with decreasing salinity from 20 to 15, 10, 5 and 0·5. This experimental aquarium was highly effective for studying behaviour in salinity gradients, because the gradient was relatively stable. After 4 days of observation, significantly more flounder were found in water with a salinity of 0·5, indicating a preference for fresh water. The total length of the flounders ranged from 7·5 to 21 mm. The majority of larvae had already started eye‐migration, however, the longer specimens had completed metamorphosis. The migration towards low salinities was observed to increase with ontogenetic development.