Egg and larval amino acid composition as indicators of niche resource partitioning in pelagic fish species

Abstract

We analysed the amino acid composition (AA) of eggs and larvae of the pelagic fish species Sardina pilchardus (sardine), Scomber scombrus (mackerel), Trachurus trachurus (horse mackerel) and Micromesistius poutasou (blue whiting) collected along the west Atlantic coast of Spain and from the Cantabrian Sea during March to April 2000. A discriminant analysis showed that it was possible to distinguish each fish species according to the egg and larval AA. Moreover, egg and larval AA varied among different areas within each fish species. From the data of larval abundance obtained from 5 cruises carried out along the northern Spanish coast from 1995 to 2000 (Mph-1995, Sefos-1995, Careva-1998, Jureva-1998 and Seamar-2000, the temporal and spatial overlap among fish species was estimated. There was a significant relationship between larval AA similarity and larval spatial-temporal overlap among fish species, which means that those larval species that had greater spatial and temporal overlap, had a similar larval AA. On this basis, the differences in egg and larval AA within each fish species among different areas seem to be due to differences in habitat conditions; mainly temperature, salinity, and food quality and quantity. We concluded that egg and larval AA could be used as indicators of niche resource partitioning (food resources and spatial allocation) among pelagic fish species.KEY WORDS: Fish · Egg · Larvae · Amino acid · Niche · PopulationResale or republication not permitted without written consent of the publisher

Factors structuring reproductive habitat suitability of Engraulis encrasicolus in the south coast of Sicily

“…Discriminant analysis is a pattern‐recognition method that helps to separate two or more groups from data provided for several variables. Discriminant analysis has been successfully used in trophic relationship studies of fish larvae, as it facilitates a larval classification according to their diet based on fatty acid composition (Navarro et al ., 1995), and it has been used to discriminate among spawning areas in pelagic fishes (Riveiro et al ., 2003).…”

Effect of habitat conditions on reproduction of the European anchovy (Engraulis encrasicolus) in the Strait of Sicily

“…The reproductive strategy of fish species comprises a number of reproductive traits, such as timing of the reproductive cycle, length at first reproduction, spatial and temporal variations in spawning intensity, and changes in the investment in offspring quantity and quality. All of these processes may be modified in response to environmental fluctuations (Sargent et al, 1987;Guisande et al, 1998;Millán, 1999;Riveiro et al, 2000Riveiro et al, , 2003.…”

Identification of subpopulations in pelagic marine fish species using amino acid composition

“…Discriminant analysis has become a powerful tool in biological research and stock identification and has been successfully used to discriminate among species, stocks or spawning areas in pelagic fishes according to the AAC of the larvae (Riveiro et al, 2003;Cuttitta et al, 2006), elemental composition in fish otoliths (Geffen et al, 2003), fish parasites (Timi et al, 2005;Marques et al, 2006), etc. Table 2 shows the results of the discriminant analysis applied to the AAC of the different parts of the body of the adult fish from the Sicilian Channel in March 2002.…”

“…The amino acid composition (AAC) of the eggs and larvae of marine fishes have been successfully used to discriminate among species and spawning areas within species (Riveiro et al, 2003). One of the main problems of the study of biochemical composition is the finding of correct part of the fish body to analyse, as many fish change their biochemical composition rapidly, depending on the characteristics of the geographic area.…”