Aquaculture Research, 2002, 33, 1191±1193 SHORT COMMUNICATION Occurrence of hypomelanization in cultured yellowtail flounder Limanda ferruginea C F Purchase*, D L Boyce & J A Brown Ocean Sciences Centre, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St John's, Newfoundland, Canada Correspondence: J A Brown, Ocean Sciences Centre, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St John's, Newfoundland, A1C 5S7, Canada. E-mail:
[email protected] *Present address: Department of Zoology, University of Toronto at Mississauga, 3359 Mississauga Road, Mississauga, Ontario, L5L 1C6, Canada. Flatfish often exhibit abnormal pigmentation under investigated for its potential as a cold-water cultured conditions, e.g. Japanese flounder Para- aquaculture species. Broodstock development along lichthys olivaceus (Temminck & Schlegel) (Seikai, with culture from the egg to the juvenile stage Watanabe & Shimozaki 1987). This is usually ex- have been successful. Current interest on this pressed as a lack of pigment, pseudo-albinism (hypo- species is being devoted to ongrowing of juveniles melanization), on the ocular side or, less often, as (e.g. Purchase, Boyce & Brown 2000). Here, we pigmentation on the blind side (hypermelanization), report the occurrence of hypomelanization in which is normally unpigmented (reviewed by juveniles of this species, which were produced at Venizelos & Benetti 1999). Abnormal pigmentation Memorial University of Newfoundland's Ocean Sci- may be a result of inadequate nutrition, light or ences Centre, near St John's, Newfoundland, Canada. stress during the larval stage (Matsumoto & Seikai Over a period of several years, yellowtail flounder 1992). Whether abnormal pigmentation is the result eggs were obtained from captive broodstock held at of more general metabolic problems is unclear.