Comparative Early Developments in Winter Spawned Three Pre-larval Fishes (Gadus macrocephalus, Liparis tanakae, Hexagrammos agrammus)

Abstract

This study investigated how the larvae of three winter-spawning fishes are adapted in a cold water environment by examining the morphology, digestive system, and swimming ability of larvae from three winter-spawning species (Gadus macrocephalus, Liparis tanakae, Hexagrammos agrammus). Data were collected at hatching and first feeding. The results were compared with repored data on several non-winter-spawning species. Mean total lengths at hatching (±SD) were 4.35±0.11 mm, 5.26±0.08 mm, and 7.48±0.35 mm for G. macrocephalus, L. tanakae, and H. agrammus, respectively. Three winter-spawning fishes had well-developed digestive tracts after hatching than those of non-winter-spawning fish larvae. Yolks were intact until 5 days post-hatching in all three species, indicating that they had longer mixed-feeding periods compared with fishes spawned during other seasons. G. macrocephalus, L. tanakae, and H. agrammus larvae had superior cruise and burst speeds (measures of swimming ability) than non-winter-spawning larvae. We conclude that the unique characteristics of these three winter-spawning species are naturally selected adaptations under lower water temperature in winter.