larvae reared in the laboratory in 1985 were examined to determine if daily increments were formed (Table 

 25). Increment formation did not start until after yolk absorption, which agreed with the fmdings of 

 Radtke and Scherer (1981). But contrary to their fmdings, daily increment deposition was not evident 

 when otoliths were examined with a light microscope using transmitted light. A comparison of the number 

 of increments on known-age laboratory-reared larvae by length agreed well with increment counts from 

 the 1984 field data. Campana and Neilson (1985) stated that daily deposition may occur, but due to the 

 resolution limit of a light microscope individual increments caimot be seen. Ongoing research at the 

 University of Rhode Island (Dr. A. Durbin, University of Rhode Island, Narragansett, Rl, pers. comm.) 

 has shown that daily increments on winter flounder otoliths were not discernible using a microscope with 

 transmitted light, but increment defmition could be enhanced with special grinding, polishing, coating, and 

 reflected light techniques. 



Table 25. Number of visible otolith increments from known age laboratory-reared 

 larvae with the number and length range of individuals examined. 



The laboratory-reared larvae in 1985 were also used to examine developmental time and the effects 

 of starvation on growth and development. The larvae were held in three aquaria and those in one were 

 not fed. Water temperature ranged from 4.3 to 9.1 °C with a gradual increase occurring during the holding 

 period. Mean length at hatching was 2.94 mm (SE= 0.017; n= 160). Yolk absorption occurred 10 d after 



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