R. Amara et P. Bodin, COULD THE MEIOBENTHIC ENVIRONMENT OFFSHOR E BE FAVORABLE FOR THE SETTLEMENT OF YOUNG SOLE, Oceanologica acta, 18(5), 1995, pp. 583-590
We tested the hypothesis that the absence of newly settled Dover soles
(Solea solea) outside the estuarine nurseries of this species is due
to a lack of suitable benthic prey. The availability of potential prey
was studied at five stations within the distribution area of metamorp
hosing Dover sole on the northern continental shelf of the Bay of Bisc
ay. Station locations ranged from the offshore spawning grounds to the
coastal zone. Suitable feeding conditions for metamorphosing flatfish
were found at all five stations. Harpacticoid copepods, the preferred
prey of newly settled juvenile sole, are abundant and diversified on
the spawning grounds where a majority of Dover sole larvae begin their
metamorphosis. Furthermore, harpacticoid copepods were preyed upon by
newly settled thickback sole Microchirus variegatus, a closely relate
d species. We conclude that the apparent lack of survival of Dover sol
e larvae metamorphosing offshore is not due to a low availability of s
uitable benthic prey.