Seasonal differences in muscle fibre recruitment of pilchard larvae in the north‐western Mediterranean |
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Authors: | I A Catalán I A Johnston M P Olivar |
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Institution: | Instituto de Ciencias del Mar, Passeig Marítim 37‐49, Barcelona 08 003, Spain and; Gatty Marine Laboratory, Division of Environmental and Evolutionary Biology, School of Biology, University of St Andrews, St Andrews KY16 8LB, Fife, U.K. |
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Abstract: | The recruitment of slow and fast myotomal muscle fibres with respect to growth in body length in European pilchard larvae Sardina pilchardus (3·5–13·5 mm standard length ( L S)] was significantly higher in November 1998 than February 1999. This resulted in a significant seasonal difference in the relationship between fibre number and L S, particularly for the fast muscle. Mean sea surface temperature was c . 6° C higher in November than February, whereas the mean abundance of potential prey items (copepod nauplii) was comparable between cruises. Laboratory and field data obtained from other clupeid species have indicated the importance of early thermal experience on muscle fibre recruitment patterns. Differences in average sea temperature therefore provide a plausible mechanism for the observed seasonal differences in muscle growth characteristics. |
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Keywords: | growth muscle Sardina pilchardus temperature |
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