The ontogeny of salinity tolerance in the American shad, <I>Alosa sapidissima</I>

Abstract

Larval and juvenile American shad (Alosa sapidissima) raised from eggs in the laboratory were subjected to biweekly 24-h seawater (35 ppt) challenges. There was no survival in seawater before 36 days post-hatch, and most mortalities occurred within 2 h of transfer. Twenty-four hour survival reached 89% in seawater at 45 days post-hatch (when larval-juvenile metamorphosis occurred), 96% at 58 days post-hatch, and 92-100% from 58 to 127 days post-hatch. Survival in seawater for 24 h was a good indicator of long-term survival and growth. Seawater tolerance was associated with gill development and increased gill Na