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Ontogenetic development in the morphology and behavior of loach (Misgurnus anguillicaudatus) during early life stages

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Abstract

Loach (Misgurnus anguillicaudatus) are a commercially important fish in China and an ideal aquaculture species. However, culturists experience high larval and juvenile mortality during mass production. To provide insight into ways to improve larviculture techniques, we describe the morphological characteristics and behavior of loach during the larval and early juvenile stages. Yolksac larvae ranged from 2.8 to 4.0 mm body length (BL) between days 0 to 4; preflexion larvae ranged from 3.6 to 5.5 mm BL between days 4 to 6; flexion larvae ranged from 4.8 to 8.1 mm BL between days 5 and 14; and postflexion larvae ranged from 7.1 to 15.7 mm BL between days 11 to 27; the minimum length and age of juveniles was 14.1 mm BL and 23 d, respectively. Loach are demersal from hatch through to the early juvenile stages. A suite of morphological characteristics (e.g., external gill filament and ventral mouth opening) and behavioral traits have developed to adapt to demersal living. We observed positive allometric growth in eye diameter, head length, head height, and pectoral fin length during the early larval stages, reflecting the priorities in the development of the organs essential for survival. Our results provide a basis for developing techniques to improve the survival of larval and juvenile loach during mass production.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Key Laboratory of Aquatic Biodiversity and Conservation of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430072, China

    Lei Gao  (高雷), Ming Duan  (段明), Fei Cheng  (程飞) & Songguang Xie  (谢松光)

  2. University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China

    Lei Gao  (高雷)

  3. Key Laboratory of Sustainable Fisheries and Environmental Protection for Lakes of Northern Jiangsu, Huai’an Research Center, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Huai’an, 223002, China

    Songguang Xie  (谢松光)

Authors
  1. Lei Gao  (高雷)
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  2. Ming Duan  (段明)
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  3. Fei Cheng  (程飞)
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  4. Songguang Xie  (谢松光)
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Songguang Xie  (谢松光).

Additional information

Supported by the Key Technology Research and Development Program of Huai’an (Nos. SN12100 and SN12101), the Construction of Innovation Carrier and Platform Project of Huai’an for the Key Laboratory of Sustainable Fisheries and Environmental Protection for Lakes of Northern Jiangsu (No. HAP201204), and the Special Research Fund for Public Interest of MWR of China (No. 201201028-02)

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Gao, L., Duan, M., Cheng, F. et al. Ontogenetic development in the morphology and behavior of loach (Misgurnus anguillicaudatus) during early life stages. Chin. J. Ocean. Limnol. 32, 973–981 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00343-014-3302-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00343-014-3302-4

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