Sustainable Marine Aquaculture

HYBRIDIZATION OF GULF FLOUNDER AND SOUTHERN FLOUNDER

Research Team:
Marty Riche (USDA) - Principle Investigator
Ken Riley (HBOI) - Principle Investigator

Hybridization of two closely related species often results in offspring that are hardier than either of the parent species. This phenomenon is called "hybrid vigor". Harbor Branch and USDA scientists thought that southern and gulf flounder might be good candidates for hybridization. Both southern and gulf flounder exhibit characteristics favorable for aquaculture, with evidence suggesting gulf flounder are hardier, and southern flounder grow larger and faster. It was thought that a hybrid between these two species might produce offspring displaying the most favorable characteristics of both.

Hybridization of flounder (male gulf and female southern) was successfully achieved at the HBOI campus, and fertilization, hatching, survival, and early growth relative to southern flounder eggs and larvae were compared. At all stages the hybrid flounder eggs and larvae performed as well or better than the southern flounder eggs and larvae. These results suggest the potential for a new hybrid flounder industry, similar to hybrid striped bass, increasing competitiveness of U.S. aquaculture through crop diversity, and reduced time to market and production costs.