The distribution of life cycle stages of two deep-water pleuronectids, Dover sole (Microstomus pacificus) and rex sole (Glyptocephalus zachirus), at the northern extent of their range in the Gulf of Alaska

Dover sole (Microstomus pacificus) and rex sole (Glyptocephalus zachirus) are both commercially valuable, long-lived pleuronectids that are distributed widely throughout the North Pacific. While their ecology and life cycle have been described for southern stocks, few investigations have focused on these species at higher latitudes. We synthesized historical research survey data among critical developmental stages to determine the distribution of life cycle stages for both species in the northern Gulf of Alaska (GOA). Bottom trawl survey data from 1953 to 2004 (25 519 trawls) were used to characterize adult distribution during the non-spawning and spawning seasons, ichthyoplankton data from 1972 to 2003 (10 776 tows) were used to determine the spatial and vertical distribution of eggs and larvae, and small-meshed shrimp trawl survey data from 1972 to 2004 (6536 trawls) were used to characterize areas utilized by immature stages. During the non-spawning season, adult Dover sole and rex sole were widely distributed from the inner shelf to outer slope. While both species concentrated on the continental slope to spawn, Dover sole spawning areas were more geographically specific than rex sole. Although spawned in deep water, eggs of both species were found in surface waters near spawning areas. Dover sole larvae did not appear to have an organized migration from offshore spawning grounds toward coastal nursery areas, and our data indicated facultative settling to their juvenile habitat in winter. Rex sole larvae progressively moved cross-shelf toward shore as they grew from April to September, and larvae presumably settled in coastal nursery areas in the autumn. In contrast with studies in the southern end of their range, we found no evidence in the GOA that Dover or rex sole have pelagic larval stages longer than nine months; however, more sampling for large larvae is needed in winter offshore of the continental shelf as well as sampling for newly settled larvae over the shelf to verify an abbreviated pelagic larval stage for both species at the northern end of their range.