Abstract
Growth and metabolism of the winter flounder Pseudopleuronectes americanus were studied in the laboratory at 2°, 5° and 8°C. Dry-weight determinations of growth demonstrated significant direct regressions of growth on temperature. Mean, daily specific growth rates were 10.1%/day at 80°C, 5.8%/day at 50°C, and 2.6%/day at 2°C. Time to metamorphosis was 49 days at 8°C and 80 days at 5°C. Larvae did not survive to metamorphosis at 2°C. Absolute values of routine metabolism expressed in μl of oxygen consumed regressed on body weight were best described by a third-degree polynomial. Larval routine metabolism increased from hatching to metamorphosis, at which time it declined before again increasing. Temperature directly affected routine metabolism. Metabolism on a unit-weight basis decreased with increasing size and was also directly influenced by temperature.
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Communicated by M.R. Tripp, Newark
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Laurence, G.C. Laboratory growth and metabolism of the winter flounder Pseudopleuronectes americanus from hatching through metamorphosis at three temperatures. Mar. Biol. 32, 223–229 (1975). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00399202
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00399202