Quantitative genetic parameters for growth-related and morphometric traits of hatchery-produced Japanese flounder Paralichthys olivaceus in the wild

To understand quantitative genetic characteristics of hatchery‐produced Japanese flounder in the wild, heritability and genetic correlation of growth‐related and morphometric traits were examined in yearling released individuals at a coastal region in northeast Japan. Quantitative genetic parameters were estimated with restricted maximum likelihood following reconstruction of pedigree by a likelihood method using seven microsatellite loci. Estimates of heritability were 0.65 and 0.51 for growth‐related traits (body length and the proportion of body length to body depth) and 0.45–0.62 for morphometric traits (vertebral count and dorsal and anal fin ray counts). Genetic correlation was significantly positive (0.61) between dorsal and anal fin ray counts, indicating the possibility of pleiotropic genes or gametic phase disequilibrium for these traits. All the estimates of heritability and genetic correlation in the released individuals were close to those of hatchery‐reared juveniles, suggesting that yearling released individuals had similar quantitative genetic characteristics of growth and morphometric traits in the wild to hatchery‐reared juveniles.