Effects of hypoxia on principal prey and growth of flathead flounder Hippoglossoides dubius in Funka Bay, Japan

Abstract

Effects of hypoxia on the principal prey and growth of flathead flounder Hippoglossoides dubius were studied in Funka Bay. Of the three dominant year-classes that occurred in recent years, the 1995 year-class was small in total length at age ≥ 3 and low in condition factor at age ≥ 2. Ophiuroids (almost Ophiura sarsi), which were the dominant prey in the 1980s, were of little importance and instead, crustaceans such as mysids, natant decapods and pelagic amphipods, bivalves and fish were important prey items for H. dubius in 2000-2001. In addition, the feeding intensity of H. dubius in 2000-2001 was lower than that in the 1980s. These facts are closely related to a reduction of prey abundance, particularly ophiuroids. It seems that the hypoxia that occurred in the central part of the bay during the summer and autumn of 1995-1997 caused the poor food supply and low growth rate at ages 2-4 of the 1995 year-class.