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Temperature-induced responses at the level of muscle growth potential have been observed in teleost fish species, concomitantly with gene expression changes (Johnston and Hall 2004). Incubation temperature has been demonstrated to influence the muscle cellularity at hatch and during larval development, and these effects are highly species-specific. Changes in the relative timing and expression level of myogenic genes were found to be related with thermal plasticity of muscle phenotype (Fernandes, Mackenzie et al. 2006). The eggs of the flatfish Senegalese sole (Solea senegalensis) in aquaculture conditions are normally incubated within the 16-20ºC range, but influence of temperature on muscle cellularity and expression of growth-related genes is unknown. Understanding these effects may contribute to improve growth conditions and juvenile production.

Reliable juvenile production or recruitment requires high numbers of healthy fish larvae. Despite considerable progress in marine fish farming in the past 20 years, juvenile fish production is still fraught with problems which arise during the larval phase. In fisheries, juvenile recruitment in some populations has not recovered despite long-term moratoria on captures and protection of the broodstock. These issues highlight the growing importance of multidisciplinary fish larval research.