Increment Width Research Articles

Factors determining variations in otolith microincrement width of demersal juvenile Baltic cod Gadus morhua

Pelagic and demersal juvenile Baltic cod Gadus morhua L. were collected on the slope and the top of Ronne bank in the Baltic Sea during 2 cruises in November and December 1998. The objective of this study was to evaluate distinct changes in otolith increment width observed in demersal juveniles by comparison with laboratory-reared individuals, and to investigate the factors determining variation in these increments. The different increment-width patterns were identified with a method based on the widths of consecutive increments. Otolith increment widths of juvenile cod were found to be highly variable within and between individuals, in both the experimental and the field samples. The first change in increment pattern observed in the field samples was related to settling. The formation periodicity of increments within the different pattern intervals was confirmed with a growth model based on otolith growth rates of juvenile cod reared in the laboratory under different conditions. In this model, otolith growth rate was expressed as a function of rearing temperature and fish dry weight. Otolith growth of the field samples was calculated using ambient temperatures obtained from a 3D-circulation model. The best fit to observed otolith growth rates was obtained under the assumption that fish on the slope performed daily vertical migrations between the warm surface layer and the cold bottom layer. The data suggested that fish stayed in the surface layer during the first increment-pattern interval, performed vertical migrations during the second interval, and stayed in association with the seafloor in the subsequent interval, corresponding to the time after the breakdown of the thermocline.

Embryonic life of the loliginid squid Loligo vulgaris: comparison between statoliths of Atlantic and Mediterranean populations

MEPS Marine Ecology Progress Series Contact the journal Facebook Twitter RSS Mailing List Subscribe to our mailing list via Mailchimp HomeLatest VolumeAbout the JournalEditorsTheme Sections MEPS 253:197-208 (2003) - doi:10.3354/meps253197 Embryonic life of the loliginid squid Loligo vulgaris: comparison between statoliths of Atlantic and Mediterranean populations R. Villanueva1,*, A. Arkhipkin2, P. Jereb3,8, E. Lefkaditou4, M. R. Lipinski5, C. Perales-Raya6, J. Riba1, F. Rocha7 1Institut de Ciències del Mar (CSIC), Passeig Marítim 37-49, 08003 Barcelona, Spain 2Falkland Islands Government Fisheries Department, PO Box 598, Stanley, Falkland Islands 3Istituto di Ricerche sulle Risorse Marine e l'Ambiente, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (IRMA-CNR), Via Luigi Vaccara 61, 91026 Mazara del Vallo, Italy 4Institute of Marine Biological Resources (IMBR), Aghios Kosmas, 16604 Helliniko, Greece 5Marine and Coastal Management, DEAT, Private Bag X2, Roggebaai 8012, South Africa 6Centro Oceanográfico de Canarias, Instituto Español de Oceanografía, Carretera de San Andrés s/n, 38120 Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain 7Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas (CSIC), Eduardo Cabello 6, 36208 Vigo, Spain 8Present address: Istituto Centrale per la Ricerca Scientifica e Tecnologica Applicata al Mare (ICRAM), Via di Casalotti 300, 00166 Roma, Italy *Email: roger@icm.csic.es ABSTRACT: Egg masses of the loliginid squid Loligo vulgaris Lamarck, 1798 are attached to hard substratum or branched sessile organisms on the sea bottom. Embryonic development lasts from a few weeks to a few months, depending on the environmental water temperature. Because embryonic statolith growth of L. vulgaris is very sensitive to temperature under laboratory conditions, we analyzed the possibilities of determining past events in the squid¹s early life from analysis of the embryonic area of statoliths of wild squid populations. The relationship between egg-incubation temperature and daily growth of embryonic statoliths under laboratory conditions was determined by tetracycline markings at 10 incubation temperatures ranging from 12 to 24.7°C. In addition, the mean width of embryonic increments in statolith collections of wild L. vulgaris from the Eastern Atlantic (Saharan Bank and NW Iberian Peninsula) and the Mediterranean Sea (Central and Eastern) was calculated. The temperature inferred from the embryonic increment widths of the statoliths of wild squid indicates that embryonic development of L. vulgaris in the regions sampled is likely to occur at temperatures ranging from 12 to 17°C. Mediterranean squid have wider embryonic increments than Atlantic squid, reflecting the slightly higher water temperatures in the Mediterranean Sea during the development of the egg masses. Eggs of L. vulgaris spawned off the NW Iberian Peninsula were estimated, on average, to remain at sea for 47 d, 1 wk longer than Mediterranean eggs (nearly 1 mo longer when comparing minimum and maximum ranges). A longer incubation time for egg masses attached to the sea bottom increases mortality risks. Conversely, slow development at a lower temperature can improve yolk conversion, producing larger hatchlings, and increased hatching competence is expected from such squid. Therefore, a compromise between longer-versus-shorter incubation time and related characteristics does exist. KEY WORDS: Cephalopods · Spawning sites · Embryonic development · Eggs · Larvae · Growth · Statoliths Full text in pdf format PreviousNextExport citation RSS - Facebook - Tweet - linkedIn Cited by Published in MEPS Vol. 253. Online publication date: May 15, 2003 Print ISSN: 0171-8630; Online ISSN: 1616-1599 Copyright © 2003 Inter-Research.

A ‘clam-ring’ master-chronology constructed from a short-lived bivalve mollusc from the northern Gulf of California, USA

Age-detrended and standardized annual growth increment width time series of 67 live-collected intertidal bivalve molluscs of the species Chione cortezi, C. fluctifraga and C. californiensis from the northern Gulf of California were strung together to form a master-chronology that covers the period from ad 1982 to 1999. A high positive correlation was found between standardized annual growth rates and summer sea-surface temperatures and river flow volume in the period 1988–99; and 63–76% of the variation in mean relative annual growth rates of Chione spp. is explained by temperature and river flow. Seven dead-collected specimens were cross-dated with the master-chronology permitting the reconstruction of the year of hatching and death for these shells. The incorporation of dead-collected specimens in the master-chronology improved the corre lation statistics slightly. Species-related growth differences were not significant, but geographic differences in growth rates occur: individuals at the Colorado River mouth grew more slowly when large amounts of fresh water reached the Gulf. This study demonstrates that even short-lived molluscs (average 6–10 years old) can be used to build a master-chronology of environmental and climatic history.

Changes in Lake Trout Growth Associated withMysis relictaEstablishment: A Retrospective Analysis Using Otoliths

Abstract The establishment of the opossum shrimp Mysis relicta in Flathead Lake, Montana, was followed by a dramatic increase in the population of lake trout Salvelinus namaycush. Using otoliths, we compared lake trout growth before and after the arrival of M. relicta. The widths of annual increments 1-3 were similar, but width generally declined in increments 4-10 after the establishment of M. relicta. To calculate body size in the post-M. relicta fish, we used the relationship between body length and otolith radius. To retrospectively calculate body length for the pre-M. relicta fish (for which we lacked body sizes), we developed a simple empirical correction to account for the conservative nature of otolith growth rate relative to body growth rate.

Verification of first annulus formation in the illicia and otoliths of white anglerfish, Lophius piscatorius using otolith microstructure

Microincrements in the lapilli otoliths of Lophius piscatorius L. were used to validate the age of fish <27 cm TL collected in spring and autumn. Contrary to published estimates of size at age based on illicia by Dupouy et al. (1986) and Duarte et al. (1997), these small specimens were found to be either 0- or 1-group. Comparison between the macrostructures of illicia and sagittae indicated that a translucent zone is formed in the illicia of most 0-group by autumn but not in sagittae. Hence, earlier estimates of small size at age may have arisen from incorrect interpretation of the time of first translucent zone formation in illicia. In addition to enabling age validation, microstructure provided a means of distinguishing between the translucent material that forms false rings and annuli. Annuli appeared as a sequence of gradually declining increment widths whereas false rings were characterized by an abrupt check in otolith formation followed by increments similar in width to adjacent opaque material. The implications of these findings to age reading and interpretation are discussed. 2002 International Council for the Exploration of the Sea. Published by Elsevier Science Ltd.

Reconstructing daily temperatures from growth rates of the intertidal bivalve mollusk Chione cortezi (northern Gulf of California, Mexico)

We establish a model for the reconstruction of average daily sea surface temperatures from calcification rates of an intertidal bivalve mollusk. The rate of shell production in Chione cortezi (Carpenter, 1864, ex Sloat MS) is mainly controlled by water temperature, ontogenetic age and the effect of tidal cycles. Statistical methods developed by dendrochronologists can successfully extract the water temperature signal from daily growth increment chronologies. After removal of noise, the growth rates are expressed as scaled daily growth indices. Average daily water temperatures during the first half of the year are highly correlated with the scaled daily growth index values of recent and subrecent specimens, using the multi-valued function presented here. Increment width analysis can reconstruct daily average water temperatures with a mean error of less than 3%. This technique provides an independent method for reconstructing temperatures in fossil specimens of species with living representatives and can supplement high-resolution temperature reconstructions based on geochemical analysis.

Accuracy of age estimates in spring spawning herring ( Clupea harengus L.) reared under different prey densities

This study shows that the otolith microstructure provides useful information for age determination of herring larvae with normal growth. However, the experiments also reveal the importance of being cautious when aging young and/or slow growing larvae. Limited resolution of the light microscope, causing several increments to be invisible, is considered to be the main reason for the low accuracy found in slow growing larvae. Limited resolution of the light microscope may also explain why the accuracy is so dependent on the otolith growth when it is less than 0.8 μm/day. It is concluded that the average increment width of the otolith provides useful information to identify larvae in danger of receiving highly biased age estimates.

Otolith Increment Widths as Tools to Record and Assess Environmental Changes in Estuarine Areas

Otolith increments are widely used as accurate measures of age in fish biology and fisheries science. However, the information recorded in otolith increments can be put to a variety of other uses. For example, there is the potential of using the conservative physiology of otoliths as a powerful recording and monitoring tool in environmental and ecological studies. This paper presents the background to the application of otolith increment widths and provides evidence of their utility as a tool for monitoring environmental changes in estuaries and other aquatic systems. Future use of otolith increment widths as part of environmental impact assessments and monitoring is discussed and encouraged, as are the requirements of candidate species of fishes for this exciting field.

Aspects of the early life history of the European conger eel ( Conger conger ) inferred from the otolith microstructure of metamorphic larvae

The life cycle of the conger eel (Congerconger L.) is still fairly unknown, especially its larval leptocephalus phase. The morphology, biometry and meristic characteristics of 184 metamorphosing conger eel larvae collected from the Minho River, northern Portugal, between December 1998 and April 1999 were analysed. The total number of myomeres, the general body morphology and the pigmentation pattern of leptocephali are in agreement with the corresponding data found by other authors for this species. The sagitta microstructure of 90 specimens was viewed by scanning electron microscopy. The numbers of daily increments obtained in the otolith's countable zone were between 205 and 324. The final part of the countable zone is characterised by a sharp increase in width of the daily increments (transition zone), followed by a peripheral diffuse zone. In the diffuse zone no narrow circumscribed rings are visible, which prevents an accurate estimate of the duration of metamorphosis. The data indicates that the size variation of metamorphosing leptocephali is large, suggesting that their hatching time must be variable. Our data also show that the largest larvae, in later stages of metamorphosis, arrive first to the northern Portuguese coastal waters.

Pelagic larval duration and geographic distribution of tropical eastern Pacific snappers (Pisces: Lutjanidae)

To test the hypothesis that pelagic larval dura- tion (PLD) plays a role in the longitudinal dispersal of reef fishes, we examined the relationship between PLD and occu- pancy of oceanic islands among tropical eastern Pacific (TEP) snappers (Lutjanidae). We estimated PLD from analysis of the otolith microstructure of juveniles collected at 2 localities from the Pacific coast of Colombia. Otoliths had a distinct 1- increment settlement transition, along which increment width gradually decreased in 1 species examined (Lutjanus guttatus). PLD estimated from lapilli was relatively short (21.8 to 24.4 d) and invariant (3.1 to 9.6% coefficients of variation (CV)) in L. argentiventris, L. guttatus, L. novemfasciatus, and Hoplopagrus guntheri, but was relatively long in L. viridis (37.9 d, CV = 8.6%). Mean PLD was not correlated with the largest distance between any 2 localities occupied but was positively correlated with number of oceanic islands occu- pied. Consideration of the geographic isolation of each island improved the strength of the latter relationship. However, these patterns were largely due to L. viridis, which was pre- sent in all oceanic islands, including Clipperton Atoll, the most isolated island in the TEP. This study suggests that the longitudinal component of species' ranges (measured by occupancy of reefs around oceanic islands) reflect dispersal abilities, yet overall range size is independent of PLD because other factors determine other components of geographic range.

Role of marine larval duration and growth rate of glass eels in determining the distribution of Anguilla reinhardtii and A. australis on Australian eastern coasts

The differences in geographical distribution between Anguilla reinhardtii and A. australis on the eastern coast of Australia can be understood by comparing otolith growth increments and microchemistry, the ages between species of the eels at metamorphosis from leptocephalus to glass eels and the ages of glass eels at estuarine arrival. The ages at metamorphosis were determined from where the increment width dramatically increased and the Sr/Ca ratio dropped. The mean age (± s.d.) of A. reinhardtii (n = 176) at metamorphosis was 144.5 ± 12.2 days and at estuarine arrival was182.7 ± 16.3 days. For A. australis (n = 150) it was 173.7 ± 20.5 days and 229.2 ± 29.4 days, respectively. The differences in age between species were significantly larger than the annual and seasonal variations within species. Australian eels are believed to spawn in the tropical oceans and larval eels drift in the South Equatorial Current to eastern Australia. The younger ages at estuarine arrival of A. reinhardtii suggest that the spawning grounds of this species lie closer to Australia than those of A. australis. In addition, the mean total length at recruitment of A. reinhardtii (49.9 ± 2.0 mm) was significantly smaller than for A. australis (54.6 ± 5.4 mm) (t = 3.8, P < 0.01). However, the growth rates of A. reinhardtii (0.25 ± 0.02 mm/d) were significantly faster than for A. australis (0.23 ± 0.022 mm/d)(t = 7.6, P < 0.01). The smaller sizes of A. reinhardtii at recruitment were likely due to the shorter marine larval period and faster growth rate compared with A. australis. The duration of the marine larval period and growth rate may be the principal factors in determining the geographical distribution of both A. reinhardtii, which tend to occur in tropical-subtropical waters, and A. australis, which predominate in more temperate waters. Extra keywords: otolith, early life history. M la t ar nt Jao et W A nd Y.

The role of measurement error on the interpretation of otolith increment width in the study of growth in larval fish

Patterns in increment widths and the associated measurement error were studied in the otoliths of radiated shanny (Ulvaria subbifurcata) larvae sampled from the field. Mean increment widths increased with larval age, whereas the relative measurement error decreased. Furthermore, the level of serial correlation in increment widths showed a clear increase with age. When measurement error was taken into consideration, the pattern of serial correlation indicates that an individual's growth increments did not show the effect of changes in local environmental conditions for at least 3 days, independent of age. Only after that period can we hope to detect the effect of environmental influences on increment widths (and by inference growth rates). The patterns of measurement error and serial correlation will have direct impacts on our ability to find the influence of environmental conditions on growth rates of individual larvae and determine patterns of selective loss in a population of larval fish.

Daily growth increment formation and its lunar periodicity in otoliths of the myctophid fish Myctophum asperum (Pisces: Myctophidae)

: The surface-migratory myctophid fish, Myctophum asperum, of the western North Pacific was found to have daily growth increments of its sagittal otolith, which also exhibited lunar periodicity in the deposition of increments. Daily deposition of the otolith increments was verified because the width of the marginal increment increased during the night and early morning between 20.00 h and 08.00 h and its growth stopped during the day. An autocorrelation analysis of the increment widths, which were measured consecutively in 11 specimens covering 33 synodic months, also showed a lunar periodicity in increment deposition. The mean increment widths during five days around the time of a full moon were significantly narrower than those around a new moon in 18 of the 33 full moon cases (P < 0.01: Student's t-test) and, on average, tended to be narrow in 29 cases. The cause of this tendency is thought to be slower growth caused by staying in deeper and colder habitat due to the suppression of diel vertical migration and/or lower food availability resulting from the possible dispersion of zooplankton during the full moon period.

Otolith microstructure of the black rockfish, Sebastes inermis

Otolith microstructure was examined and described with regards to the early life history events of black rockfish, Sebastes inermis, collected in a temperate seagrass bed in Matsushima Bay, eastern Japan. The extrusion check was validated upon examining newly extruded reared larvae. Tetracycline treatments and a thermal marking experiment showed that the otolith increments were produced daily. Four zones were identified, from a clear central zone (CZ), which evolved a clear extrusion check to a translucent zone, visible only in large juveniles. Extrusion dates were distributed from late December to early March, with peaks in January and February. Only the CZ and a planktonic zone (PZ) were observed in newly immigrated juveniles. The PZ showed mean values significantly longer in the January cohort (92 days) than the February cohort (76 days), and the increment width varied significantly over time and between cohorts as well. The PZ was delimited by a clear prominent transition check (TCh) accompanied by an abrupt shift in increment width (the post-settlement zone). The TCh, which was formed at 24.5 mm of mean back-calculated total length, seemed to be linked to the settlement of juveniles in Zostera marina belts. The usefulness of thermal marking and those factors that seem to influence the occurrence of the otolith zones are discussed.

The relationship between otolith accretion and resting metabolic rate in juvenile Atlantic salmon during a change in temperature

This study confirmed earlier evidence for a correlation between otolith increment width and resting metabolic rate in the absence of somatic growth in Atlantic salmon parr. However, increment width responded more conservatively to a change in temperature than did resting metabolic rate. Consequently, the study demonstrated that although increment width varied with temperature the process governing accretion rate was not simply related to resting metabolic rate.

Cross-Calibration of Daily Growth Increments, Stable Isotope Variation, and Temperature in the Gulf of California Bivalve Mollusk Chione cortezi: Implications for Paleoenvironmental Analysis

Abstract Annual-oxygen isotope profiles from two live-collected specimens of Chione cortezi Carpenter were analyzed in conjunction with daily growth-increment width profiles and high-resolution temperature records from the same site in the northern Gulf of California. The daily growth-increment profiles serve to date the deposition of the δ18O samples. Then the δ18O values were compared with high-resolution temperature records from the same site. Shell deposition began in late March or early April and ended in late November or early December. δ18O-derived estimates of the maximum and minimum temperature thresholds of growth agree well with those obtained from the dated increment width profile. Shell deposition in these two specimens of C. cortezi from the northern Gulf began when temperature warmed above ∼17°C and slowed or halted when temperature rose above ∼31°C. The temporal resolution of stable isotope samples varies throughout the year. Samples with the coarsest resolution (>3 weeks) were taken from ...

Age validation in horse mackerel (Trachurus trachurus) otoliths

Two methods were used to validate age determination of horse mackerel otoliths. In the first, whole otoliths were examined with a light microscope. Age was determined by identifying and counting annuli. Marginal increment widths were also measured and served to estimate ages, which ranged from 0.6–4.3 years. In the second method, otoliths were examined with a scanning electron microscope and fish ages were determined by daily increment counts. Sixty-four otolith specimens from the Southeast Atlantic and 24 from the Northeast Atlantic were aged by counting the daily growth increments. The number of daily increments was highly variable within each growth zone. Ages exceeding 365 days in the first annual growth zone indicated that the first annulus was not always deposited in some fish. The variable daily increment counts in the first year's growth zones may be related to the very protracted spawning season of horse mackerel. Examination of subsequent growth zones indicated that false rings and annuli are often of a similar visual appearance and that true annuli can only be identified if concurrent measurements of growth zone widths are available. Estimated ages agreed with ages derived by counting daily increments, thus validating the ages of horse mackerel up to four years.

Long-term assessment of settlement and growth of juvenile winter flounder ( Pseudopleuronectes americanus) in New Jersey estuaries

We examined patterns of metamorphosis, settlement, and growth for young-of-the-year winter flounder over a ten year period (1990–1999) in four estuaries spanning the coast of New Jersey, USA, with the objective to determine the spatial and temporal coherence in these processes. We hypothesised that these processes could be influenced by large-scale climatic factors such as temperature and small-scale, local factors such as predator and prey abundances and differences associated with the localised population structure of winter flounder. Newly settled juveniles were collected in late May/early June each year. Increment counts on sagittal otoliths were used to determine the date of metamorphosis, and increment widths were used to estimate growth rates at two times, just after settlement and just prior to capture. A high level of consistency in spatial patterns among four individual estuaries was evident, and was largely driven by the northernmost site, Sandy Hook, which had higher fish densities and later metamorphosis than the three other sites, and faster growth rates than the two mid-coast sites (Barnegat Bay and Great Bay). In contrast to spatial patterns, consistent temporal patterns were evident only in the timing of metamorphosis, which was delayed in colder years at all sites. Weekly plankton sampling over the same ten year period at one site (Great Bay) yielded winter flounder larvae during a relatively narrow period in spring, with a later peak of abundance in colder years, in agreement with back-calculated dates of metamorphosis for settled juveniles. These patterns suggest that the timing of settlement is driven by large-scale climatic factors that influence the timing of spawning and/or larval development. Interannual variability in densities and growth rates, however, appeared to be independent at each site, indicating control by local environmental factors or genetic differences among local populations. The spatial consistency of growth rates suggests that appropriate nursery areas can be readily identified for juvenile winter flounder. However, subsequent recruitment needs to be verified at the level of local populations to identify contributing source habitats.

Planktonic larval duration and settlement marks on the otoliths of Mediterranean littoral fishes

The planktonic larval duration (PLD) was estimated for 42 species of littoral fishes from the north-western Mediterranean Sea. Daily increments and settlement marks on the otoliths (sagittae or lapilli) of new settlers and post-settlers were used to determine the larval stage duration. We also used PLD in the new settlers of some species to confirm the accuracy of the settlement marks in post-settlers. The duration of the planktonic larval stage ranges from 9 days in Symphodus ocellatus to 55 days in Xyrichtis novacula and 71 days in Lipophrys trigloides. Species in the same family did not display any clear tendency toward having similar PLDs. On the other hand, larval duration tended to be similar within a genus, with the exception of Lipophrys. Among conspecifics, the time spent in the plankton usually varied only by 2–7 days, except in Aidablennius sphynx, Lipophrys trigloides, Coris julis and Thalassoma pavo. No clear patterns were discernible in genera, with some species that settled in winter and other species that settled in summer, although we observed a certain tendency of individuals of closely related species (e.g. family Sparidae) to have a shorter larval duration in the warmer part of the year than in the colder part of the year. Settlement marks have been observed on the otoliths of all the species studied, and the PLDs in new settlers are an appropriate means of validating settlement marks. A rapid decrease in increment width over settlement (type Ia) is the most common type of mark (66.7% of the total species studied).

Otolith record of age, growth, and ontogeny in larval and pelagic juvenile Stephanolepishispidus (Pisces: Monacanthidae)

Juveniles of the planehead filefish Stephano-lepishispidus (Pisces: Monacanthidae) (Linnaeus, 1766) are a major component of the Sargassum spp. community, yet little is known of their ecology. In this study, the otolith record of age, growth, and ontogeny in S.hispidus was examined. Juveniles caught off Beaufort Inlet, North Carolina (USA) on 30 June 1996 were marked with alizarin complexone and reared in a flow-through, outdoor tank for up to 19 days. Examination of marked otoliths at several time intervals showed that increment formation was not significantly different than one increment per day, and thus, increment number was used to estimate age. Depth-distribution, morphology, and meristics of larvae and juveniles collected (1990–1992) between Cape Romain, South Carolina, and Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, were examined to identify the timing of the larval to juvenile transition. All indicators suggested the transition occurred between 17 and 20 days. Mean otolith increment widths exhibited a marked change at about 20 days, coinciding with the timing of the larval to juvenile transition and a change in the depth distribution from bottom to surface waters. Increment width of individual juveniles, however, did not exhibit the same pattern; only 40% conformed to the pattern identified for all fish. Thus, the record of the larval to juvenile transition is clear at the population level, but unresolved at the individual level.