Growth and size variation of Senegalese sole (Solea Dissertation senegalensis) PhD PhD Dissertation Pablo Sánchez Fernández! Pablo Sánchez Fernández Growth and size variation of Senegalese sole (Solea senegalensis). PhD Dissertation Pablo Sánchez Fernández July 2012 Thesis Director & Academic Supervisor: Prof. Rosa Flos i Bassols Thesis Co-Director: Dr. Pedro Pablo Ambrosio Jiménez Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya. Xarxa de Referència de R+D+I en Departament d’Enginyeria Aqüicultura de la Generalitat de Agroalimentària i Biotecnologia Catalunya Contents Agra¨ıments . ix Abstract . xi Resum................................................. xiii Resumen . xv 1 Introduction 1 1.1 Sole as an aquaculture species . 3 1.2 Market . 3 1.3 Genetics . 5 1.4 Reproduction . 6 1.5 Larval rearing . 8 1.6 Ongrowing . 10 1.6.1 Environmental conditions . 11 1.6.2 Feeding . 12 1.6.3 Nutrition . 12 1.6.4 Growth . 13 1.6.5 Stocking density . 13 1.6.6 Size variability . 14 1.6.7 Growth experiments . 16 1.7 Justification of the thesis . 17 1.8 Objectives . 17 1.9 Description of the structure of the thesis . 17 2 Stocking density and sex influence individual growth of Senegalese sole (Solea senegalensis) 19 2.1 Abstract . 21 2.2 Introduction . 21 2.3 Material and methods . 22 2.3.1 Density definition and experimental layout . 22 2.3.2 Environmental conditions . 22 2.3.3 Feeding . 23 2.3.4 Production parameters . 23 2.3.5 RNA/DNA ratio . 23 2.3.6 Data analysis . 23 2.4 Results . 23 2.4.1 Effect of stocking density on growth . 23 2.4.1.1 Analysis of mean growth descriptors . 23 2.4.1.2 Fitting of linear mixed-effects models . 25 2.4.2 Cluster analysis and growth profiles . 26 2.4.3 Inter-individual variability in growth rate . 26 2.4.4 RNA/DNA ratios . 26 2.5 Discussion . 26 Acknowledgements . 29 i Growth and Size Variation of Sole 2012 References . 29 3 Stocking density affects Senegalese sole (Solea senegalensis, Kaup) growth independently of size dis- persion, evaluated using an individual photo-identification technique 31 3.1 Abstract . 33 3.2 Introduction . 33 3.3 Material and methods . 34 3.3.1 Experimental layout . 34 3.3.2 Photo-identification . 35 3.3.3 Environmental conditions . 35 3.3.4 Feeding . 35 3.3.5 Production parameters . 35 3.3.6 Data analysis . 35 3.4 Results . 36 3.4.1 Growth . 36 3.4.2 Photo-identification . 37 3.5 Discussion . 38 Acknowledgements . 41 References . 41 4 Growth of the nocturnal flatfish Senegalese sole (Solea senegalensis) is light independent 45 4.1 Abstract . 47 4.2 Introduction . 47 4.3 Material and methods . 48 4.3.1 Fish and experimental conditions . 48 4.3.2 Experimental facilities . 49 4.3.3 Data analysis . 49 4.4 Results . 50 4.5 Discussion . 50 4.6 Acknowledgements . 58 4.7 References . 58 5 Loss of genetic variability in a hatchery strain of Senegalese sole (Solea senegalensis) revealed by sequence data of the mitochondrial DNA control region and microsatellite markers 63 5.1 Summary . 65 5.2 Introduction . 66 5.3 Materials and methods . 66 5.3.1 Characterization of the mtDNA Control Region-I (CR-I) . 67 5.3.2 Microsatellite loci . 67 5.3.3 Parentage and sibship inference . 68 5.4 Results . 68 5.4.1 mtDNA CR-I analysis . 68 5.4.2 Microsatellite data analysis . 70 5.4.3 Parentage, sibship inference and relatedness . 71 5.5 Discussion . 72 Acknowledgements . 74 References . 74 6 Discussion 77 6.1 Growth . 79 6.1.1 Stocking density.