R. Amara et F. Lagardere, SIZE AND AGE AT ONSET OF METAMORPHOSIS IN SOLE (SOLEA-SOLEA (L)) OF THE GULF OF GASCOGNE, ICES journal of marine science, 52(2), 1995, pp. 247-256
This study describes seasonal, interannual and spatial variations of s
ize and age at the onset of metamorphosis of sole, Solen solea. Length
at the onset of metamorphosis was significantly less variable than ag
e and weight: coefficient of variation CV length<CV age<CV weight (0.0
8, 0.2, 0.25, respectively). Length and age at the onset of metamorpho
sis were not significantly correlated (r(2)=0.02). Sole larvae began m
etamorphosis at a relatively constant length 8.5 +/- 1.3 mm and season
al, interannual and spatial comparisons showed that length was not sig
nificantly variable. Unlike length, seasonal and interannual variation
s of age al the onset of metamorphosis were high, and resulted from di
fferences in growth rates which were influenced by both temperature an
d food availability. Analysis of otolith increment width suggest that
these growth differences between slow-growing and fast-growing larvae
occurred chiefly after the 10th day following the mouth-opening stage
and seemed to diminish at the end of the larval period. These findings
are discussed in terms of survival and recruitment variability.