Use of lapillus otolith microchemistry as an indic

Authors: Esteban Avigliano Gonzalo Velasco Alejandra Vanina Volpedo

Publish Date: 2015/02/06

Volume: 98, Issue: 6, Pages: 1623-1632

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Abstract

The marine catfish Genidens barbus is an anadromous species from South America The aim of the present study was to evaluate the use of lapillus otolith microchemistry SrCa BaCa and MgCa ratios as an indicator of changes in habitat use and identify the potential breeding areas and fish stocks of G barbus populations from the Plata Basin Paraná River Delta and De la Plata River estuaryArgentina and Lagoa dos Patos coastal lagoon southern Brazil SrCa BaCa and MgCa ratios were measured in the core area inner 4 rings and external area outer 3–4 rings of the otoliths by ICPOES The SrCa ratio tended to be higher in the otolith external area than in the core area while the BaCa ratio followed the opposite pattern This suggests the displacement of fish toward higher salinity areas The SrCa BaCa MgCa ratios in the core and external areas of the otoliths from the Plata Basin differed significantly from those of the otoliths from Lagoa dos Patos This may indicate the occurrence of two different breeding sites and at least two fish stocks in the study regionAuthors are indebted to CONICET PIP 11220120100543CO ANPCyT PIP 2010–1372 Universidad de Buenos Aires UBACYT 20620110100007 and Instituto de Oceanografia from Fundação Universidade Federal do Rio Grande FURG for financial support We thank the Editor and anonymous reviewers for their constructive comments which helped us to improve the manuscript The authors declare that the present study was approved by CONICET and Ministry of Agriculture Livestock and Fisheries of Argentina and the Animal Use Ethics Committee CEUA from FURG Brazil Therefore there are no ethical issues or conflicts

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