The effect of diet on ossification and eye migration in Atlantic halibut larvae (Hippoglossus hippoglossus L.)

Larval nutrition affects post-metamorphic phenotype in Atlantic halibut and many deformities are related to skeletal development. In a multidisciplinary study, 24,000 sibling halibut larvae were reared at an average temperature of 11.9 degreesC on either enriched Artemia or natural zooplankton in duplicate treatments and the development followed. One hundred and eighty sibling larvae up to about climax metamorphosis at 46 days post start feeding (psf) were cleared and stained for bone, and stereological measurements of bone and body area and degree of eye migration Were registered. From day 21 psf, the zooplankton-fed fish had more calcified matrix relative to body size than did Artemia-fed halibut and from day 35 psf, this difference was significant (33.7% +/- 1.9 SD vs. 28.6% +/- 4.1, P<0.05). When related to ontogeny, the zooplankton-fed fish had a higher average percentage ossification than the Artemia-fed larvae at Stages 7, 8 and 9 (pro- and climax metamorphosis), but this difference was significant only at Stage 8 (34.1% +/- 2.56 SD vs. 31.9% +/- 2.32 SD, P<0.05). Asymmetry of the cranium and consequently eye migration began earlier (Stage 7 vs. Stage 9) and was significantly better in the zooplankton-fed fish. The results suggest that nutritional differences in content of vitamin A and thyroid hormones, which target osteoblasts and osteoclasts, may underlie differences in developmental trajectory. The results also support the hypothesis of a critical window of metamorphosis between 14 and 25 days post start feeding in halibut larvae. (C) 2003 Published by Elsevier Science B.V.