Allometric growth in green sturgeon larvae

We examined allometric growth of larval green sturgeon (Acipenser medirostris) reared from hatching to metamorphosis.Three different phases were detected in allometric growth in weight.From hatch to 6 dph (days post hatch) growth was negatively allometric (b = 0.76), reflecting utilization of yolk for morphogenesis, growth, and metabolic energy.The growth coefficient increased in late lecitotrophic phase (b = 2.35; 6-14 dph) and the growth was positively allometric during exogenous feeding phase (b = 3.38; 15-50 dph).The head and eye growth was isometric throughout development.Green sturgeon was similar with Siberian sturgeon in the allometric growth of mouth, pectoral fin, and tail.The differences between two species were attributed to the larval size, larval behaviour after hatching, and some heterochrony in development.The allometric growth of green sturgeon matched developmental and behavioural events observed in early ontogeny of this threatened species.