TY - JOUR T1 - Interplay between hormonal and morphological changes throughout a critical period of larval rearing in the orbicular batfish A1 - Waqalevu,Viliame A1 - Besson,Marc A1 - Gache,Camille A1 - Roux,Natacha A1 - Fogg,Lily A1 - Bertucci,Frédéric A1 - Metian,Marc A1 - Lafille,Marc-Andre A1 - Maamaatuaiahutapu,Moana A1 - Gasset,Eric A1 - Saulnier,Denis A1 - Laudet,Vincent A1 - Lecchini,David AD - Laboratory of Larval Rearing Management, United Graduate School of Agricultural Sciences, 8908580, Kagoshima University, Japan AD - School of Marine Studies, University of the South Pacific, 15387, Suva, Fiji AD - PSL Research University, EPHE-UPVD-CNRS, USR 3278 CRIOBE BP 1013, 98729, Papetoai, Moorea, French Polynesia AD - International Atomic Energy Agency - Environment Laboratories, 4a Quai Antoine 1er, Monaco AD - Observatoire Océanologique de Banyuls-sur-Mer, UMR CNRS 7232 BIOM, Sorbonne Université, 1, avenue Pierre Fabre, 66650, Banyuls-sur-Mer, France AD - Queensland Brain Institute, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia AD - Unité FRE BOREA, MNHN, CNRS 7208, Sorbonne University, IRD 207, University Caen Normandy, University of French West Indies, Guadeloupe AD - Laboratoire de Morphologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive, AFFISH-RC, University of Liège, Belgium AD - Direction des Ressources Marines, BP 20, Papeete, Tahiti, 98713, French Polynesia AD - MARBEC, Univ. Montpellier, CNRS, Ifremer, IRD, Palavas, France AD - Ifremer, UMR 241 EIO, UPF-ILM-IRD, B.P. 49, 98719, Taravao, Tahiti, French Polynesia UR - https://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00656/76816/ DO - 10.1016/j.aqrep.2020.100521 KW - Larval rearing KW - Mariculture KW - Metamorphosis KW - South pacific countries KW - Coral reefs N2 - Advancement and diversification of the aquaculture industry is reliant on the development of captive breeding and rearing protocols for novel fish species. Orbicular batfish (Platax orbicularis), a major emerging species in Polynesian aquaculture, live in brackish and marine waters around coral reefs, and are highly prized by Pacific Island communities for their high-quality meat. The present study describes the larval growth of P. orbicularis from hatching until 16 days after hatching (DAH) using meristics and thyroid hormone (T3) quantification. Our study highlighted that metamorphosis of P. orbicularis is critical to their production in aquaculture, as found for other species. Levels of the thyroid hormone T3 in P. orbicularis reached a peak at 12 DAH (i.e. hormonal metamorphosis). This peak occurred in concert with important morphological changes and increased mortality and growth between 9 and 12 DAH, clearly illustrating the sensitivity of this fish during metamorphosis. Overall, our study sheds light on the metamorphosis and larval development of a novel aquaculture species, and the interplay between hormonal and morphological changes throughout a critical period of its rearing. These findings may promote the development of protocols for mass-scale production of orbicular batfish in captivity, which may be particularly beneficial to the aquaculture industries of many Pacific Island countries. Y1 - 2020/11 PB - Elsevier BV JF - Aquaculture Reports SN - 2352-5134 VL - 18 ID - 76816 ER -