<b> Tolerance of gulf kingfish juveniles "papa-land" Menticirrhus littoralis (Holbrook, 1860) (Pisces: Sciaenidae) to low salinity. </b>

Abstract

The gulf kingfish, Menticirrhus littoralis is an abundant species with a significant recreational and commercial importance in southern Brazil. In order to evaluate its potential for aquaculture, the present work highlights the survival of M. littoralis juveniles (0.98±0.2 g and 46.26±4.6 mm) in low salinities throughout short and long-term tests. As a result, it was possible to esteem the Median Lethal Concentration Salinities (LS50) as 2.29, 2.28, 2.24 and 2.23% for 24, 48, 72 and 96 h, respectively. During 15 days of exposition to 3, 4, 5, 10 and 34‰, mortalities of 50.0, 13.6, 22.7, 13.6 and 22.7% were registered, respectively. These results suggest that the juveniles are sensible to salinities between 0 and 3‰, however they can tolerate salinities between 3 and 10‰, presenting high survival. In such a way, it was demonstrated that M. littoralis juveniles possess great capacity in tolerate hyposmotics stress, being able to survive during long periods in low salinity waters. We conclude that the species has a great potential to be introduced in estuarine aquaculture in terms of salinity, but many studies related to physical-chemical parameters must be conducted in order to confirm that hypothesis.