A first attempt at determining larval growth in three Antarctic fish from otoliths and RNA/DNA ratios

Otolith growth and RNA/DNA ratios of larval stages of Notolepis coatsi, Gobionotothen gibberifrons and Trematomus scotti, three Antarctic fish, were studied during early 1998. RNA/DNA ratios were significantly different between the notothenioids and paralepidids (P < 0.01), but similar among noto...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Published in:Polar Biology
Main Authors: Morales-Nin, Beatriz, Palomera, Isabel, Busquets, Xavier
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: Springer 2002
Subjects:
Antarctic
Antarctic Peninsula
The Antarctic
Weddell
Weddell Sea
Antarc*
Polar Biology
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/10261/83923
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00300-001-0351-x
Description
Summary:Otolith growth and RNA/DNA ratios of larval stages of Notolepis coatsi, Gobionotothen gibberifrons and Trematomus scotti, three Antarctic fish, were studied during early 1998. RNA/DNA ratios were significantly different between the notothenioids and paralepidids (P < 0.01), but similar among notothenioids (P > 0.05). The ratios were independent of larval total length and water temperature. Recent otolith growth (based on the last five increments) and biochemical indices correlated slightly, but not significantly. N. coatsi inhabited deeper and colder waters of the Weddell Sea and showed less growth than the other species, which are associated with the Antarctic Peninsula. In all three species, some larvae had very good growth rates though most were rather poor. Recent growth indices might allow the detection and back-dating of growth changes in Antarctic larvae, and provide insight into a crucial yet poorly understood life-phase of these fish. Peer reviewed

Similar Items