Identification of larvae of three arctic species of Limanda (Family Pleuronectidae)

Identification of fish larvae in Arctic marine waters is problematic as descriptions of early-life-history stages exist for few species. Our goal in this study is to provide descriptions that enable researchers to distinguish larvae of righteye flounders (family Pleuronectidae) of the genus Limanda that are among the most abundant fishes and frequently collected pleuronectid larvae in the northern Bering, Chukchi, and Beaufort seas. Three species of Limanda are represented: L. aspera (yellowfin sole), L. proboscidea (longhead dab), and L. sakhalinensis (Sakhalin sole). Partial descriptions of L. aspera and L. proboscidea larvae have been previously published, but content and illustrations are inadequate for making positive identifications; therefore, each species is redescribed here with updated illustrations. Larvae of L. sakhalinensis are described for the first time. Descriptions of meristic, morphometric, and pigment characteristics with species comparisons of larvae are presented. Primary characters that distinguish the three species are pigmentation, body depth, and length of larvae and early juveniles at developmental stage landmarks. Pigment characters during the early and late larval stages of L. proboscidea and its large size at transformation are different compared to L. aspera and L. sakhalinensis. These disparate larval characters described for L. proboscidea in comparison to the other two species provide additional evidence suggesting the genus Limanda may be paraphyletic, as has been proposed in other studies. Results presented here have potential utility in future Arctic fisheries oceanography research.