The use of otolith shape and chemistry to determine stock structure of Mediterranean horse mackerel Trachurus mediterraneus (Steindachner)

Abstract

Otolith shape and chemistry of Mediterranean horse mackerel Trachurus mediterraneus were simultaneously used to assess the feasibility of using these natural tags to discriminate populations throughout the Black, Marmara, Aegean and eastern Mediterranean Seas. Otolith shape and chemistry analyses showed a similar pattern of differentiation between T. mediterraneus stocks, revealing a clear discreteness of the middle Black Sea (Sinop) and Aegean Sea (Izmir) samples. Otolith upper side length and width, and Na, K, Mg and Ba, were the morphological traits and trace elements, respectively, differing most among groups. Overall assignment of individuals into their original sample was high for both otolith shape and chemistry. Highest reclassification rate was observed for the south‐middle Black Sea and Aegean Sea samples for both analyses. Hierarchical cluster analyses also supported high differentiation of the south‐middle Black Sea and Aegean Sea samples for both analyses. Mantel’s test revealed that the Euclidean distance both for otolith shape (r=−0·0917, P > 0·05) and chemistry (r=−0·1248, P > 0·05) between these populations were not significantly associated with their geographical distances.