M. Tanaka et al., DEVELOPMENT OF THE DIGESTIVE ORGAN SYSTEM IN JAPANESE FLOUNDER IN RELATION TO METAMORPHOSIS AND SETTLEMENT, Marine and freshwater behaviour and physiology, 28(1-2), 1996, pp. 19
During metamorphosis and settlement the digestive system of Japanese f
lounder (Paralichthys olivaceus) exhibits various morphological featur
es that include: differentiation and development of gastric glands and
pyloric caeca coupled with partial degradation of the pancreas; invol
ution of the liver; inflation of the gall bladder, and shortening of g
ut epithelium height. Pepsin-like enzyme activity increases markedly a
s metamorphosis proceeds, while trypsin-like enzyme and amylase activi
ties drop significantly. High percentage of newly settled wild flounde
r at the climax phase of metamorphosis have empty stomachs, indicating
that feeding ceases while the gut is undergoing reorganization. These
findings suggest that the morphological and functional changes of the
digestive system that occur during metamorphosis of Japanese flounder
relate to the drastic diet shift at settlement from zooplanktonic to
benthic prey.