Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Young-of-the-Year Yellowmouth Barracuda Sphyraena viridensis (Cuvier, 1829) Growth in Eastern Algeria Based on Otolith Microstructure Analysis

  • Published:
Thalassas: An International Journal of Marine Sciences Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Age estimates were made on otoliths of 32 young-of-the-year (YOY) Barracuda, Sphyraena viridensis Cuvier (1829), captured in the south-western Mediterranean Sea. Increments were observed in Barracuda sagittae sectioned in a transverse plane and viewed with light microscopy. Increment counts were made for age estimation. Estimated ages ranged from 27 to 299 days of fish ranging in size from 15.9 to 38.9 cm total length (TL). The observed mean growth rate is 3.487 mm.day−1. Decreasing growth performance is evidenced according to age: 3.822 mm.day−1 between 159 and 302 mm (27–139 days), 1.596 mm.day−1 between 352 and 389 mm (172–299 days).

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Akyol O, Ceyhan T (2013) Age and growth of swordfish (Xiphias gladius L.) in the Aegean Sea. Turk J Zool 37:59–64

    Google Scholar 

  • Allam MS, Faltas SN, Ragheb E (2004) Age and growth of barracudas in the egyptian Mediterranean waters. Egypt J Aquat Res 30(2):281–289

    Google Scholar 

  • Arata GF (1954) A contribution to the life history of the swordfish, Xiphias gladius Linnaeus, from the South Atlantic coast of the United States and the Gulf of Mexico. Bull Mar Sci Gulf Caribb 4(3):183–243

    Google Scholar 

  • Azzurro E, Moschella P, Maynou F (2011) Tracking Signals of change in Mediterranean fish diversity based on local ecological knowledge. PLoS One 6(9):e24885. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0024885

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Barreiros JP, Santos RS, de Borba AE (2002) Food habits, schooling and predatory behaviour of the yellowmouth barracuda, Sphyraena viridensis (Perciformes: Sphyraenidae) in the Azores. Cybium 26(2):83–88

    Google Scholar 

  • Beamish RJ, Fournier DA (1981) A method for comparing the precision of a set of age determination. Can J Fish Aquat Sci 38:982–983

  • Beldade R, Pedro T, Goncalves J (2007) Pelagic larval duration of 10 temperate cryptobenthic fishes. J Fish Biol 71:376–382. https://doi.org/10.1111/J.1095-8649.2007.01491.X

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ben-Tuvia A (1986) Sphyraenidae. In: Whitehead PJP, Bauchot M-L, Hureu J-C, Nielsen J, Tortonose E (eds) Fishes of the North-Eastern Atlantic and the Mediterranean, Vol. III. UNESCO, Paris, pp 1194–1196

    Google Scholar 

  • Berg E, Sarvas TH, Harbitz A, Fevolden SE, Salberg AB (2005) Accuracy and precision in stock of north-East Arctic and Norwegian coastal cod by otoliths – comparing readings, image analyses and a genetic method. Mar Freshw Res 56:753–762. https://doi.org/10.1071/MF04172

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bourehail N, Lecomte-Finiger R, Kara MH (2010) Age, croissance et reproduction du barracuda Sphyraena viridensis (Sphyraenidae) des côtes de l’est Algérien. Rapport de Communication Internationale de la Mer Méditerranée CIESM 39:459

    Google Scholar 

  • Bourehail N, Morat F, Lecompte-Finiger R, Kara MH (2015) Using otolith shape analysis to distinguish barracudas Sphyraena sphyraena and Sphyraena viridensis from the Algerian coast. Cybium 39(4):271–278

    Google Scholar 

  • Campana SE (2001) Accuracy, precision and quality control in age determination, including a review of the use and abuse of age validation methods. J Fish Biol 59(2):197–242. https://doi.org/10.1111/J.10958649.2001.TB00127.X

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Campana SE (1999) Chemistry and composition of fish otoliths: pathways, mechanisms and applications. Mar Ecol Prog Ser 188:263–297

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cerna F, Plaza G (2016) Daily growth patterns of juveniles and adults of the Peruvian anchovy (Engraulis ringens) in northern Chile. Mar Freshw Res 67:899–912. https://doi.org/10.1071/MF15032

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chang WYB (1982) A statistical method for evaluating the reproducibility of age determination. Can J Fish Aquat Sci 39(8):1208–1210

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • D’Alessandro EK, Sponaugle S, Cowen RK (2013) Selective mortality during the larval and juvenile stages of snappers (Lutjanidae) and great barracuda Sphyraena barracuda. Mar Ecol Prog Ser 474:227–242. https://doi.org/10.3354/meps10114

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • FAO (2016) FAO fisheries and aquaculture department. Universal Software for Fishery Statistical Time Series. FAO, Rome, Statistics and Information Service FishStatJ

    Google Scholar 

  • Frehi H, Couté A, Mascarell G, Perrette-Gallet C, Ayada M, Kara MH (2007) Dinoflagellés toxiques et/ou responsables de blooms dans la baie d’Annba (Algérie). C R Biol 330:615–628

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Garcia-Seoane E, Meneses ACI, Silva B (2015) Microstructure of the otoliths of the glacier lanternfish, Benthosema glaciale. Mar Freshw Res 66:70–77. https://doi.org/10.1071/MF13211

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Golani DB, Ozturk B, Basusta N (2006) The fishes of eastern Mediterranean. Turkish marine Research Foundation, publication no. 24, Istanbul, Turkey

  • Govoni JJ, Laban EH, Hare JA (2003) The early life history of sword fish (Xiphias gladius) in the western North Atlantic. Fish Bull 101:778–789

    Google Scholar 

  • Hayes JW (1995) Importance of stream versus early lake rearing for rainbow trout fry in Lake Alexandrina, South Island, New Zealand, determined from otolith daily growth patterns. N. Z. J. Mar Freshw Res 29:409–420

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jenkins GP, May HMA (1994) Variation in settlement and larval duration of King George whiting, Sillaginodes punctata (Sillaginidae), in swan bay, Victoria, Australia. Bull Mar Sci 54:281–296

    Google Scholar 

  • Jones C (1986) Determining age of larval fish with the otolith increment technique. Fish Bull 84:91–104

    Google Scholar 

  • Jones CM (1992) Development and application of the otolith increment technique. In: Stevenson DK, Campana SE (eds) Otolith microstructure examination and analysis, Ottawa: can spec Publ fish Aquat Sci, vol 117, pp 1–11

    Google Scholar 

  • Kalish JM (1989) Otolith microchemistry: validation of the effects of physiology, age and environment on otolith composition. J Exp Mar Biol Ecol 132:151–178

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kara MH, Bourehail N (2003) Présence du Barracuda, Sphyraena viridensis (Sphyraenidés), sur les côtes de l’est algérien. Cybium 27:59–60

    Google Scholar 

  • Kadison E, D’Alessandro EK, Davis GO, Hood PB (2010) Age, growth, and reproductive patterns of the great barracuda, Sphyraena barracuda, from waters of the Florida keys. Bull Mar Sci 86:773–784

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • MacQueen JB (1967) Some methods for classification and analysis of multivariate observations, proceedings of 5-th Berkeley symposium on mathematical statistics and probability. Berkeley, University of California Press 1:281–297

    Google Scholar 

  • Mansur L, Plaza G, Landaeta MF, Ojeda FP (2014) Planktonic duration in fourteen species of intertidal rockyfishes from the southeastern Pacific Ocean. Mar Freshw Res 65:901–909. https://doi.org/10.1071/MF13064

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Megalofonou P, De Metrio G, Lenti MC (1987) Età e dimensioni di prima maturità sessuale de1 pesce spada Xiphias gladiusl. Parte I Atti Sot It Sci Vet XLI:234–347

    Google Scholar 

  • Milana V, Ciampoli M, Sola L (2014) mtDNA sequences of Sphyraena viridensis (Perciformes: Sphyraenidae) from Italy: insights into historical events and the phylogeny of the genus. Biol. J Linn Soc 113:635–641

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Miller SJ, Storck T (1982) Daily growth rings in otoliths of young-of-the-year largemouth bass. Trans Am Fish Soc 111:527–530

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nelson RJS (2006) Fishes of the world. John Wiley & Sons. Inc., New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Pannela G (1971) Fish otoliths, growth layers and periodical patterns. Science 173:1124–1127

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pastore MA (2009) Sphyraena intermedia sp. nov. (Piseces: Sphyraenidae): a potential new species of barracuda identified from the Central Mediterranean Sea. J Mar Biolog Assoc 89:1299–1303

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Plaza G, Katayama S, Omori M (2001) Otolith microstructure of the black rockfish, Sebastes inermis. Mar Biol 139:797–805. https://doi.org/10.1007/S002270100620

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Raventos N, Macpherson E (2001) Planktonic larval duration and settlement marks on otoliths of Mediterranean littoral fishes. Mar Biol 138:1115–1120. https://doi.org/10.1007/S002270000535

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Relini M, Orsi-Relini L (1997) The two species of barracuda (Sphyraenidae) in the western Mediterranean. Cybium 21:216–222

    Google Scholar 

  • Secor DH, Dean JM, Laban EH (1991) Manual for otolith removal and preparation for microstructural examination. Electric Power Research Institute and the belle. University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina, W.Baruch Institute for Marine Biology and Coastal Research, 85 p

    Google Scholar 

  • Sponaugle S, Walter KD, Denit KL, Llopiz JK, Cowen RK (2010) Variation in pelagic larval growth of Atlantic billfishes: the role of prey composition and selective mortality. Mar Biol 157:839–849

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tanaka M, Kaji T, Nakamura Y (1996) Developmental strategy of scombrid larvae: high growth potential related to food habits and precocious digestive system development. In: Watanabe Y, Yamashita Y, Oozeki Y (eds) Survival strategies in early life stages of marine resources. A. A. Balkema, Rotterdam, pp 125–139

    Google Scholar 

  • Vacchi M, Boyer M, Bussotti S, Guidetti P, La Mesa G (1999) Some interesting species in the coastal fish fauna of Ustica Island (Mediterranean Sea). Cybium 23:323–331

    Google Scholar 

  • Victor BC (1986) Duration of the planktonic larval stage of one hundred species of Pacific and Atlantic wrasses (family Labridae). Mar Biol 90:317–326. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00428555

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Villegas-Hernandez H, Munoz M, Lloret J (2014) Life-history traits of temperate and thermophilic barracudas (Teleostei: Sphyraenidae) in the context of sea warming in the Mediterranean Sea. J Fish Biol 84:1940–1957. https://doi.org/10.1111/jfb.12411

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wellington GM, Victor BC (1989) Planktonic larval duration of one hundred species of Pacific and Atlantic damsel fishes (Pomacentridae). Mar Biol 101:557–567. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00541659

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wilson DT, McCormick MI (1997) Spatial and temporal settlement-marks in otoliths of tropical reef fishes. Mar Ecol Prog Ser 153:259–271. https://doi.org/10.3354/MEPS153259

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yamashita RA, Sellers JR, Anderson JB (2000) Identification and analysis of the myosin superfamily in Drosophila: a database approach. J Muscle Res Cell M 21(6):491–505. https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1026589626422

    Article  Google Scholar 

Reference to awebsite

Download references

Acknowledgements

The authors thank the Algerian Ministry for Higher education and scientific research (General directorate for scientific research and technology development, GDRSDT) which financially supported this study, within the framework of the National Funds of Research (NFR).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratoire bioressources marines, Université d’Annaba Badji Mokhtar, Annaba, Algeria

    Nadjette Bourehail & M. Hichem Kara

Authors
  1. Nadjette Bourehail
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. M. Hichem Kara
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to M. Hichem Kara.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of Interest

On behalf of all authors, the corresponding author states that there is no conflict of interest.

Additional information

Publisher’s Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Bourehail, N., Kara, M.H. Young-of-the-Year Yellowmouth Barracuda Sphyraena viridensis (Cuvier, 1829) Growth in Eastern Algeria Based on Otolith Microstructure Analysis. Thalassas 37, 107–112 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s41208-020-00256-2

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s41208-020-00256-2

Keywords

Search

Navigation