Length-weight and otolith size to standard length relationships in 12 species of Southern Ocean Myctophidae: a tool for predator diet studies

• Published in: Journal of Applied Ichthyology
• Main Authors: Saunders, Ryan A., Lourenço, Silvia, Vieira, Rui P., Collins, Martin A., Xavier, Jose C.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Wiley 2021
• Subjects: Southern Ocean; Scotia Sea
• Online Access: http://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/528726/; https://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/528726/1/jai.14126.pdf; https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jai.14126

Fish morphometric relationships are key tools for fisheries science and studies of food web dynamics and predator foraging behaviour, but parameterisations are limited for Southern Ocean myctophids (Family Myctophidae). New standard length (LS) to total mass (MT) relationships are therefore described for the 12 biomass‐dominant myctophid fish species living in the Scotia Sea, Southern Ocean, using the most comprehensive data collected in the region to date. New linear regressions for otolith size (length; OL and width; OW) and LS are also described. Significant (p < .01) LS–MT relationships were established for all species using simple non‐linear regression. Significant (p < .01) relationships between LS and both OL and OW were also determined for all species, with OW being the best predictor of LS in all but one species. Our study provides a comprehensive tool for reconstructing the myctophid component of marine predator diets that will improve future food web, predator behaviour and ecosystem studies in the Scotia Sea.