Life-history traits of flatfish in the Northeast Atlantic and Mediterranean Sea

Abstract

Summary Flatfishes are poorly represented in published literature regarding life-history strategies, as opposed to some other taxonomic groups of teleost fish. The present work constitutes an integrated approach to life-history traits of the Order Pleuronectiformes occurring in the Northeast Atlantic and Mediterranean Sea. Data was exhaustively collected for several species of the families Scophthalmidae, Pleuronectidae, Bothidae and Soleidae, namely life-history parameters from the von Bertalanffy growth model (L∞ and k), absolute fecundity and size at maturity (Lm), as well as ecological and environmental data, with regard to the species and their area of occurrence. An inter-specific ordination analysis based on life-history parameters and environmental factors revealed distinct patterns of life-history strategies, not necessarily grouped by phylogenetic affinities. Species with a more northern range of distribution were distinguishable from those with southern affinities by showing larger sizes, lower growth rates, earlier spawning, shorter spawning periods and higher fecundity. Possible environmental causes for these traits are discussed. Intra-specific analyses were also performed and were generally in agreement with other authors, yet some disagreement was found for the inter-specific analysis.