Morphological and free amino acid profile variability, as a tool for stock identification among farmed rainbow troutOncorhynchus mykissof different origin

Abstract

As a tool for stock identification the body morphology and the free amino acid (FAA) profile variability were determined among farmed rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss (Walbaum 1792) from different geographical areas throughout Greece, using geometric morphometrics and Reversed Phase-High-Performance Liquid Chromatography. Significant intraspecific body shape variation was detected among the fish stocks of different origin. Canonical Variate Analysis distinguished populations into two groups being consistent to a great extent with a previous population genetics study. General linear models did not support an association of haplotypes and diet with shape. However, shape was significantly correlated with origin, water temperature, geological-chemical-climatic zones, histidine and arginine. Therefore, morphological variation was primarily driven by environmentally induced differences among these zones being the result of phenotypic plasticity. Environmental cues and rearing conditions played the pivotal role in comparison to broodstock origin. Specimens presented different FAA profiles depending on their geographical origin. Principal Component Analysis showed a division between eastern and western Greece which might be owed to the existence of climatic fluctuations affecting the abiotic factors.This combined approach offers an important tool for stock identification thus assisting environmental risk assessments in evaluation of potential ecological effects and fostering research excellence in sustainable aquaculture management.freshwater aquaculture, geometric morphometrics, phenotypic plasticity, population structure, reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography

Morphology and Genetic Structure Profile of Farmed Snails Cornu aspersum aspersum and Cornu aspersum maximum in Greece

“…More specifically, in the species Helix pomatia, Helix lucorum, and Achatina fulica, using four restriction enzymes and by testing 12S rRNA and 16S rRNA fragments, researchers were able to distinguish the three snail species [39]. The body morphology and the free amino acid (FAA) profile variability were used for stock identification among farmed rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss populations [40].…”