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Thermally induced phenotypic plasticity of swimming performance in European sea bass Dicentrarchus labrax juveniles
Author(s) -
Koumoundouros G.,
Ashton C.,
Sfakianakis D. G.,
Divanach P.,
Kentouri M.,
Anthwal N.,
Stickland N. C.
Publication year - 2009
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.1095-8649.2009.02206.x
Subject(s) - dicentrarchus , sea bass , biology , phenotypic plasticity , larva , serranidae , zoology , bass (fish) , fishery , fish <actinopterygii> , ecology
The vulnerability of embryonic and larval stages of European sea bass Dicentrarchus labrax to environmental temperature and the longer‐term consequences for the early juveniles was demonstrated. This phenotypic plasticity was highlighted by subjecting D. labrax at 15·2 ± 0·3 or 20·0 ± 0·4° C (mean ± s . d .) up to metamorphosis and then at the same temperature (18·5 ± 0·7° C). After 4–6 weeks at the same temperature, the measurement of critical swimming speed at four exercise temperatures (15, 20, 25 and 28° C) showed a significantly higher swimming capacity in the fish initially reared at 15° C than for fish initially reared at 20° C. This performance was correlated with significant differences in the phenotype of red muscle. Thermally induced phenotypic plasticity was clearly demonstrated as an important mechanism controlling swimming performance in early juveniles of D. labrax .