Habitat Use Patterns ofChelon haematocheilus, as Revealed by Sr:Ca Ratios in Otoliths

Abstract

ABSTRACT Hwang, S.W.; Lee, T.W.; Hwang S.D.; Lee, E.K., and Yoo, J.M. 2015. Habitat use patterns of Chelon haematocheilus, as revealed by Sr:Ca ratios in otoliths. We measured Sr:Ca ratios in otoliths to examine the habitat use patterns of 50 Chelon haematocheilus collected from two estuaries of the Geum River and the Mangyeong River on the midwest coast of South Korea. The average ratio was 5 × 10−3 ± 0.6 × 10−3 (mean ± SD) in the core of the otolith and ranged from 3 × 10−3 to 7 × 10−3 in the opaque zone surrounding the core. We applied the criteria used to analyze otoliths in the closely related species Mugil cephalus in a previous study and concluded from the otolith Sr:Ca ratios that C. haematocheilus spawns and grows in brackish water during the early part of its life cycle. Most fish showed otolith Sr:Ca ratios ranging from 3 × 10−3 to 7 × 10−3, indicating that they primarily live in brackish water. Some fish had ratios outside that range, indicating that they had potentially spent time in the uppe...