TITLE:
Cryptic Behaviour of Juvenile Turbot Psetta maxima L. and European Flounder Platichthys flesus L.
AUTHORS:
Louise Dahl Kristensen, Claus Reedtz Sparrevohn, Jens Tang Christensen, Josianne Gatt Støttrup
KEYWORDS:
Juvenile Flatfish, Burying Behaviour, Conditioning, Stock Enhancement
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Marine Science,
Vol.4 No.3,
July
31,
2014
ABSTRACT:
The aim of this study was to examine the burying behaviour of
hatchery-reared European flounder Platichthys
flesus and turbot Psetta maxima,
and whether conditioning on a sandy substrate would improve burying efficiency.
Both species buried shortly after release on a sandy substrate. However, the
study revealed interspecies differences; the flounder buried immediately after
release, while the turbot buried gradually. No significant difference in
burying efficiency was observed between naïve and conditioned flounder and
turbot. An effect of size on burial efficiency was observed for both flounder
and turbot with a tendency for larger fish to bury more efficiently than
smaller fish, despite previous conditioning. Size at settlement was found to be
>2 cm for flounder and >3 cm for turbot.