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Identification of subpopulations in pelagic marine fish species using amino acid composition

  • Ecosystems and Sustainability
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Abstract

The spatial stock complexity of marine fish species requires that population structure is taken into account in fisheries management. The aim of this study was to determine whether the amino acid composition (AAC) of the adult fish allows the identification of subpopulations within the stock. During a cruise in November 2003 along the entire Mediterranean coast of Spain, individuals were collected of the following pelagic species: Sardina pilchardus, Sardinella aurita, Engraulis encrasicolus, Trachurus trachurus, Trachurus mediterraneus, Scomber scombrus and Scomber colias. Individuals of S. pilchardus and E. encrasicolus were also collected from the waters of the Strait of Sicily in 2002 and 2003. The AAC of the fish eyes was seen to be species specific, and therefore, the differences in AAC among species may be based on inherited characters. Moreover, a clear differentiation was seen between the Spanish and Sicilian populations of S. pilchardus and E. encrasicolus. Furthermore, in the Spanish waters of the Mediterranean Sea, discriminant analysis revealed a substantial separation between the northern and southern subpopulations of S. pilchardus, S. aurita and E. encrasicolus. Temporal variations in AAC within species in each area were lower than the spatial variations observed among areas for each species, probably reflecting the influence on the AAC of the contrasting environmental characteristics of each area. Our results indicate that the ACC of the eyes in adult fish is a good tool for discriminating among subpopulations in pelagic marine fish species.

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to express their gratitude to the Instituto Español de Oceanografía for the ECOMED cruise and to the officers and crew of the R/V Cornide de Saavedra.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Instituto Español de Oceanografía, Centro Oceanográfico de Vigo, Subida a Radio Faro 50, 36390, Vigo, Spain

    Isabel Riveiro

  2. Facultad de Ciencias del Mar, Universidad de Vigo, Lagoas-Marcosende, 36200, Vigo, Spain

    Cástor Guisande

  3. Instituto Español de Oceanografía, Centro Oceanográfico de La Coruña, Paseo Marítimo Alcalde Francisco Vázquez n° 10, Apdo. 130, 15001, La Coruña, Spain

    Paula Iglesias

  4. Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Istituto per l’Ambiente Marino Costiero, Sede di Mazara del Vallo, via L. Vaccara 61, Mazara del Vallo, Trapani, Italy

    Gualtiero Basilone, Angela Cuttitta, Bernardo Patti, Salvatore Mazzola & Angelo Bonanno

  5. Instituto Español de Oceanografía, Centro Oceanográfico de Málaga, Puerto Pesquero s/n, Apdo. 285, Fuengirola, 29640, Málaga, Spain

    Ana Giráldez

  6. Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas (CSIC), Calle Eduardo Cabello 6, 36208, Vigo, Spain

    Alba-Ruth Vergara

  7. Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de A Coruña, Campus da Zapateira, 15008, La Coruña, Spain

    Isabel Maneiro

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  1. Isabel Riveiro
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  2. Cástor Guisande
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  6. Ana Giráldez
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  10. Alba-Ruth Vergara
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Correspondence to Isabel Riveiro.

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Guest editors: Graham J. Pierce, Vasilis D. Valavanis, Begoña M. Santos & Julio M. Portela / Marine Ecosystems and Sustainability

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Riveiro, I., Guisande, C., Iglesias, P. et al. Identification of subpopulations in pelagic marine fish species using amino acid composition. Hydrobiologia 670, 189–199 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10750-011-0663-y

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