Vertebral and Other Meristic Characteristics of Greenland Halibut, Reinhardtius hippoglossoides , from the Northwest Atlantic

• Published in: Journal of the Fisheries Research Board of Canada
• Main Author: Templeman, Wilfred
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Canadian Science Publishing 1970
• Subjects: Baffin Bay; Baffin; Greenland; Northwest Atlantic
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/f70-176; http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/pdf/10.1139/f70-176

Vertebral averages were not useful in separating Greenland halibut stocks of the northwest Atlantic, apart from the possible separation of the Gulf of St. Lawrence population.Mean numbers of vertebrae did not differ significantly at the 5% level within the main areas in samples collected between 1950 and 1968 from Baffin Bay to the southern Grand Bank. Mean numbers of vertebrae for each of these main areas also were, with one exception, not significantly different. Mean vertebral numbers of Greenland halibut from the northern Gulf of St. Lawrence (61.850 ± 0.057 SE) differed (P < 0.001) from the overall mean for the remainder of the northwest Atlantic (61.575 ± 0.014).The similar means were associated with similar temperatures at depths of 800 m and over, where eggs and early larvae are presumed to develop. Means of vertebral numbers of males and females were not significantly different.Precaudal and caudal vertebral numbers were negatively correlated. Fused vertebrae were not numerous and did not show much localization except toward the posterior end of the vertebral column, especially in the two most posterior whole vertebrae. The numerical value of each fused partial vertebra was very close to one.Anal and dorsal fin-ray numbers were highly correlated but were not correlated significantly with vertebral numbers. The means of dorsal and anal fin-ray numbers in a few samples from west Greenland to the southern Grand Bank were not significantly different.