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Identification of individuals born in different spawning seasons using otolith microstructure to reveal life history of Neosalanx taihuensis

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Abstract

Otolith microstructure was used to distinguish specimens of Neosalanx taihuensis born in spring and autumn. Increment width during the early life stage was significantly narrower for spring-born than autumn-born juveniles, and the frequency distributions of the width of the first 5 increments were distinctive and diagnostic. Otolith growth trajectories and frequency distribution of the first 5 increments of spring-spawning adults displayed similar patterns to spring-born juveniles. Otolith growth trajectories of autumn-spawning adults were intermediate between those of spring- and autumn-born juveniles, and the frequency distribution of the width of the first 5 increments showed two modes, one similar to spring-born juveniles and the other similar to autumn-born juveniles. Populations of N. taihuensis have previously been shown to be dominated by spring-spawning fish. Thus, the putative life history of N. taihuensis can be summarized as: (1) a small part of the spring-born fish mature and spawn in autumn of the year of their birth, (2) the majority of the spring-born cohort matures and spawns in spring of the next year, and (3) offspring of the autumn-born fish mature and spawn in autumn of the following year. This stock-structure information should be considered in fisheries management for this species.

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Acknowledgments

This research was financially supported by the National Basic Research Program of China (973 Program, No. 2009CB119200), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 30771642 and 30972257), the Chinese Academy of Sciences Visiting Professorship for Senior International Scientists issued to B.R.M. (No. 2010T2S25), and the One Hundred Talents Programme of the Chinese Academy of Sciences issued to Dr. S. Xie and Networks of Aquaculture Centres in Asia and Pacific (No. ICE/SL/FIS/2007/02, NACA). Participation of B.R.M. was also supported by the Acorn Alcinda Foundation, Lewes, DE, USA.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Key Laboratory of Biodiversity and Conservation of Aquatic Organisms, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430072, Hubei, China

    Lang Wu, Jia Shou Liu, Xing Lu Wang, Guo Zhang & Song Guang Xie

  2. Graduate School of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China

    Lang Wu, Xing Lu Wang & Guo Zhang

  3. Fisheries Bureau of Danjiangkou City, Danjiangkou, 442700, Hubei, China

    Zheng You Zhang

  4. The Department of Fisheries and Wildlife Sciences and Conservation Management Institute, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA, 24061, USA

    Brian R. Murphy

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  1. Lang Wu
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  2. Jia Shou Liu
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  7. Song Guang Xie
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Correspondence to Song Guang Xie.

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Wu, L., Liu, J.S., Wang, X.L. et al. Identification of individuals born in different spawning seasons using otolith microstructure to reveal life history of Neosalanx taihuensis . Fish Sci 77, 321–327 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12562-011-0333-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12562-011-0333-z

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