Zoological Studies 38(4): 452-457 (1999) Strontium Bands in Relation to Age Marks in Otoliths of European

• Main Authors: Wann-nian Tzeng, Kenneth P. Severin, Håkan Wickström, Chia-hui Wang, S In
• Other Authors: The Pennsylvania State University CiteSeerX Archives
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: 1999
• Subjects: Key words; European eel; Otolith; Strontium; Annulus; Anguilla anguilla
• Online Access: http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/summary?doi=10.1.1.505.4998; http://www.sinica.edu.tw/zool/zoolstud/38.4/452-457.pdf

relation to age marks in otoliths of European eel Anguilla anguilla. Zoological Studies 38(4): 452-457. Higher-concentration strontium (Sr) bands and hyaline zones in otoliths of European eel, Anguilla anguilla (L.), from both brackish waters and freshwater lakes were examined by wavelength dispersive x-ray spectrometry on an elec-tron microprobe and by visible light microscopy, respectively. The positions of higher-concentration (> 0.3 wt %) Sr bands and hyaline zones were identical in otoliths of eels from brackish waters; however, no corresponding higher-concentration Sr bands were discernible in otoliths of eels from fresh water. The higher-concentration Sr bands were deposited when the eels migrated from brackish water to high-saline seawater during winter. The number of hyaline zones in the otoliths corresponds to the age of the eel. Accordingly, higher-concentration Sr bands in otoliths can be used to determine fish age and migratory history in brackish waters.