Discrimination of the northeast Atlantic lesser sandeels, ammodytes marinus, ammodytes tobianus and gymnammodytes semisquamatus by protein electrophoresis

• Published in: Fisheries Research
• Main Authors: DONAGHY, MJ, VERSPOOR, E, YOUNGSON, AF
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: 1995
• Subjects: AMMODYTES SPP; GYMNAMMODYTES SEISQUAMATUS; PROTEIN ELECTROPHORESIS; Northeast Atlantic
• Online Access: https://pure.uhi.ac.uk/en/publications/f5a1b15d-e466-4214-8ff8-6332623c59e4; https://doi.org/10.1016/0165-7836(94)00340-3

The northeast Atlantic lesser sandeels Ammodytes marinus Raitt, Ammodytes tobianus L. and Gymnammodytes semisquamatus Jourdain were screened by starch gel electrophoresis for species-specific enzyme variation. Morphological separation of the genera is reliable but distinguishing the two Ammodytes species is problematic, particularly in smaller specimens. The analysis revealed a number of diagnostic isozymes. Two, MEP-1 and MEP-2, appear particularly suitable for discriminating the three species. These isozymes show no intraspecific variation, can be typed using muscle, are relatively stable in frozen tissue, and can be resolved using a single gel and histochemical stain. The use of these diagnostic isozymes will facilitate species discrimination in fisheries assessment work and in studies of the ecological differences among the species.