Laboratory growth and metabolism of the winter flounder Pseudopleuronectes americanus from hatching through metamorphosis at three temperatures

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.