Ontogeny of Otolith Formation in Two Demersal Estuarine Reef Fishes

2018 ◽  
Vol 134 (3-4) ◽  
pp. 1-9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kyle J Hoffman ◽  
Juliana M Harding
Keyword(s):  
Oyster Reef ◽  
Larval Fish ◽  
Fish Larvae ◽  
Reef Fishes ◽  
Allometric Model ◽  
Benthic Habitats ◽  
Ambient Temperatures ◽  
Total Length ◽  
Naked Goby ◽  
Gobiosoma Bosc

Abstract Planktonic reef fish larvae locate and orient to reefs during settlement. Consequently, metamorphosis occurs in appropriate juvenile and/or adult habitats. Larval fish use otoliths for hearing (sagittae and asterisci) as well as equilibrium (lapilli) required for directional swimming. Striped blenny (Chasmodes bosquianus) and naked goby (Gobiosoma bosc) larvae, settled individuals, and juveniles were used to describe otolith ontogeny from hatching through settlement, the transition from pelagic to benthic habitats, and metamorphosis. Larvae hatched from nests collected in North Inlet estuary, SC, were cultured from May through July in 2012 and 2013 at ambient temperatures. Sagittae and lapilli were present at hatching in both species. Asterisci were only observed in settlement (gobies and blennies) or metamorphosis (blennies) stage fishes, regardless of age (days post-hatch). Otoliths within a pair were symmetrical. Fish total length increased faster than sagittae otolith length in settlement stage blennies and postflexion gobies. The allometric model explained ∼90% of the variability in sagittae otolith length with total length for both species. Settlement occurred 15–20 days post-hatch in striped blennies and 19–27 days post-hatch in naked gobies. Asterisci were found in 100% of settlement stage striped blennies and 67% of naked gobies. We hypothesize that the presence of asterisci in settlement stage demersal oyster reef fishes facilitates identification of and orientation to suitable settlement habitats thereby enhancing recruitment success.

Variable and spatially explicit response of fish larvae to the playback of local, continuous reef soundscapes

2020 ◽  
Vol 653 ◽  
pp. 131-151
Author(s):  
JJ Suca ◽  
A Lillis ◽  
IT Jones ◽  
MB Kaplan ◽  
AR Solow ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Reef Fish ◽  
Larval Fish ◽  
Fish Larvae ◽  
Reef Fishes ◽  
Virgin Islands ◽  
Acoustic Environment ◽  
Us Virgin Islands ◽  
Fish Catch ◽  
Ecological Importance ◽  
Subsurface Light

Understanding the cues that drive larval fish settlement is critical for managing reef systems under stress. Reef sound is increasingly reported to influence fish recruitment, yet the physical and acoustic environment in which larval fish settle varies in space and time. Accordingly, testing potential settlement cues under different conditions is vital for understanding their ecological importance. We conducted 2 sets of field playback experiments in St. John, US Virgin Islands, one nearshore (10 m depth) and the second ‘offshore’ (25 m depth), to assess the effects of reef soundscape playback on settlement rates of multiple reef fish families. In each experiment, nightly currents were quantified and we replicated the diel soundscape cycle using high, low, and control (silent) amplitude recordings from nearby reefs. The first experiment revealed significant current-based, down-stream reduction in larval fish catches in subsurface light traps and a significant effect of increasing amplitude of reef playbacks on larval lizardfish (Synodontidae) catches. In the second, offshore experiment which had no current effect, increasing reef playback amplitude led to a significantly greater catch of parrotfish (Scaridae) larvae and decreased larval pelagic fish catch. Total reef fish larvae only showed attraction to reef playbacks at the most nearshore site. This work demonstrates that while sound can play a role in the settlement of certain reef fishes, responses are influenced by multiple factors, including larger-scale physical processes, underscoring the need to consider the scale of soundscape cues for reef fish settlement within an oceanographic context.

Swimming ability of the larvae of some reef fishes from New Zealand waters

2000 ◽  
Vol 51 (8) ◽  
pp. 783 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bruce Dudley ◽  
Nick Tolimieri ◽  
John Montgomery
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Larval Fish ◽  
Fish Larvae ◽  
Good Condition ◽  
Reef Fishes ◽  
The Other ◽  
Swimming Ability ◽  
Light Traps ◽  
Growing Body

Larval fish, caught in good condition in light traps, were obliged to swim at 13.5 cm s –1 in a flume chamber without food or rest. Five species were strong swimmers capable of swimming for at least several days. Scorpis lineolatus (Scorpidae), swam longer than the others: >400 h on average (~200 km) with one individual swimming for 559 h (271 km). The other two reef species, Upeneichthys lineatus (Mullidae) and Parika scaber (Monacanthidae), swam ~100 h (~50 km) on average. Two non-reef carangids were also tested for comparison with the reef fishes: Trachurus sp. and a single Pseudocaranx dentex swam ~30 km and 82 km, respectively. These results add to the growing body of evidence that fish larvae should not be treated as passive particles.

scholarly journals Fish larvae exploit edge vortices along their dorsal and ventral fin folds to propel themselves

2016 ◽  
Vol 13 (116) ◽  
pp. 20160068 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gen Li ◽  
Ulrike K. Müller ◽  
Johan L. van Leeuwen ◽  
Hao Liu
Keyword(s):  
Larval Fish ◽  
Fish Larvae ◽  
Fluid Dynamic ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Reynolds Numbers ◽  
Bony Fish ◽  
The Body ◽  
Functional Explanation ◽  
Image Velocimetry ◽  
Median Fins

Larvae of bony fish swim in the intermediate Reynolds number ( Re ) regime, using body- and caudal-fin undulation to propel themselves. They share a median fin fold that transforms into separate median fins as they grow into juveniles. The fin fold was suggested to be an adaption for locomotion in the intermediate Reynolds regime, but its fluid-dynamic role is still enigmatic. Using three-dimensional fluid-dynamic computations, we quantified the swimming trajectory from body-shape changes during cyclic swimming of larval fish. We predicted unsteady vortices around the upper and lower edges of the fin fold, and identified similar vortices around real larvae with particle image velocimetry. We show that thrust contributions on the body peak adjacent to the upper and lower edges of the fin fold where large left–right pressure differences occur in concert with the periodical generation and shedding of edge vortices. The fin fold enhances effective flow separation and drag-based thrust. Along the body, net thrust is generated in multiple zones posterior to the centre of mass. Counterfactual simulations exploring the effect of having a fin fold across a range of Reynolds numbers show that the fin fold helps larvae achieve high swimming speeds, yet requires high power. We conclude that propulsion in larval fish partly relies on unsteady high-intensity vortices along the upper and lower edges of the fin fold, providing a functional explanation for the omnipresence of the fin fold in bony-fish larvae.

scholarly journals Osmotic induction improves batch marking of larval fish otoliths with enriched stable isotopes

2014 ◽  
Vol 71 (9) ◽  
pp. 2530-2538 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emmanuel de Braux ◽  
Fletcher Warren-Myers ◽  
Tim Dempster ◽  
Per Gunnar Fjelldal ◽  
Tom Hansen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Stable Isotopes ◽  
Salmo Salar ◽  
Larval Fish ◽  
Fish Larvae ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Industrial Applications ◽  
Chemical Markers ◽  
Potential Applications ◽  
Recent Method ◽  
Batch Marking

Abstract Otolith marking with enriched stable isotopes via immersion is a recent method of batch marking larval fish for a range of research and industrial applications. However, current immersion times and isotope concentrations required to successfully mark an otolith limit the utility of this technique. Osmotic induction improves incorporation and reduces immersion time for some chemical markers, but its effects on isotope incorporation into otoliths are unknown. Here, we tested the effects of osmotic induction over a range of different isotope concentrations and immersion times on relative mark success and strength for 26Mg:24Mg, 86Sr:88Sr and 137Ba:138Ba on Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) larvae. 71% and 100% mark success were achieved after 1 h of immersion for 86Sr (75 µg L−1) and 137Ba (30 µg L−1) isotopes, respectively. Compared with conventional immersion, osmotic induction improved overall mark strength for 86Sr and 137Ba isotopes by 26–116%, although this effect was only observed after 12 h of immersion and predominately for 86Sr. The results demonstrate that osmotic induction reduces immersion times and the concentrations of isotope required to achieve successful marks. Osmotically induced isotope labels via larval immersion may prove a rapid and cost-effective way of batch marking fish larvae across a range of potential applications.

scholarly journals Feeding of the Brycon cephalus, Triportheus elongatus and Semaprochilodus insignis (osteichthyes, characiformes) larvae in Solimões/Amazonas River and floodplain areas.

2002 ◽  
Vol 32 (3) ◽  
pp. 499-499 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rosseval Galdino LEITE ◽  
Carlos A.R.M. ARAUJO-LIMA
Keyword(s):  
Food Item ◽  
Prey Size ◽  
Larval Fish ◽  
Fish Larvae ◽  
Trophic Relations ◽  
Fish Feeding ◽  
Important Species ◽  
Flooded Forests ◽  
Commercially Important

Information on larval fish feeding is essential for understanding their trophic relations, including the management in conditions totally or partially controlled by humans. An experiment was designed to evaluate the larval diets of three commercially important species. Four varzea-lakes and the adjacent river were sampled with bongo and hand nets from January 1993 to November 1995. Larval diets were evaluated by length-classes and capture sites, and were tested by two factor ANOVA. The larvae were feeding in all habitats, except in the flooded forests. The three species had different diets, which varied with their length and lake. The rotifers were the main initial food item of the three species, replaced by fish larvae in Brycon cephalus, cladocerans in Triportheus elongatus and detritus in Semaprochilodus insignis. The increase of the ingestion limit, as the larvae grew, was higher than the increase in the consumed prey size for the three species.

scholarly journals Long-term changes of ichthyoplankton communities in an Iberian estuary are driven by varying hydrodynamic conditions

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
M Monteiro ◽  
U M Azeiteiro ◽  
F Martinho ◽  
M A Pardal ◽  
A L Primo
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Variability ◽  
Larval Fish ◽  
Fish Larvae ◽  
Climate Change Impacts ◽  
Variable Structure ◽  
Local Environment ◽  
Strong Relationship ◽  
Marine Species ◽  
Economic Implications ◽  
Species Dominance

Abstract Ichthyoplankton assemblages are key components of estuaries worldwide, playing a vital role as nurseries for fish larvae. Nonetheless, estuaries can be highly affected by ongoing climate change. Impacts of climate variability on ichthyoplankton assemblages will have consequences for marine pelagic food webs and fish populations biology, namely recruitment. This study aims to investigate the influence of environmental variability on an interannual abundance of ichthyoplankton assemblages of the Mondego estuary (Portugal). For this, an ichthyoplankton sampling programme of 13 years (2003–2015) along six distinct sampling stations was analysed to evaluate spatial, seasonal and interannual changes of ichthyoplankton distribution over periods of wet, regular and dry conditions. The ichthyoplanktonic community was dominated by Pomatoschistus spp. across all seasons and conditions, with higher larval abundances during summer and spring. Main changes were related to species seasonality and phenology as well as an increase in the number of marine species during extreme events. The larval fish community showed a strong relationship with the regional and local environment over the study, presenting a distinct yet highly variable structure during the 2009–2013 period. Reported changes will likely trigger major changes in species dominance and abundance, with clear ecological and socio-economic implications.

Comparison of a High Volume Pump and Conventional Plankton Nets for Collecting Fish Larvae Entrained in Power Plant Cooling Systems

1979 ◽  
Vol 36 (1) ◽  
pp. 81-84 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ronald M. Leithiser ◽  
Karl F. Ehrlich ◽  
Alan B. Thum
Keyword(s):  
Power Plant ◽  
Key Words ◽  
Fish Larvae ◽  
High Volume ◽  
Cooling Systems ◽  
Channel Current ◽  
Total Length ◽  
Power Plant Cooling ◽  
Intake Structure

A high volume pump (2.5 m3/min capacity at 6 m head) and conventional plankton nets (0.5 and 1.0 m diam) were operated side by side in two tests to evaluate the efficiency of each gear for sampling fish larvae within the intake structure of a coastal power plant. At intake channel current velocities up to 40 cm/s (the maximum tested), the pump in one test caught significantly more fish larvae than the nets. Compared to the pump, both sizes of plankton nets in each test greatly undersampled large larvae (over 5.0 mm total length). Our findings suggest that conclusions regarding ichthyoplankton entrainment based on data obtained with conventional plankton nets may be of questionable validity. Key words: ichthyoplankton, entrainment, pump, nets

Influence of tidal phase and circulation on larval fish distribution in a partially mixed estuary, Corral Bay, Chile

2003 ◽  
Vol 83 (1) ◽  
pp. 217-222 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cristian A. Vargas ◽  
Sandro E. Araneda ◽  
Guillermo Valenzuela
Keyword(s):  
Larval Fish ◽  
Fish Larvae ◽  
Salt Water ◽  
Larval Density ◽  
Abundant Species ◽  
Fish Distribution ◽  
Older Individuals ◽  
Austral Spring ◽  
Tidal Front ◽  
Tidal Phase

The influence of circulation on abundance patterns of larval fish was compared at different phases of the tide in the vicinity of an estuarine front in Corral Bay, Chile during austral spring. Greatest differences in water salinity were found across the frontal region on ebb tides. Because rainfall was low, density differences were primarily due to tidal intrusion of salt water. Larval density was relatively low during both sampling periods with Strangomera bentincki, Oodntesthes regia laticlavia, Gobiesox marmoratus and Hypsoblennius sordidus as the most abundant species. Total ichthyoplankton was always higher near the tidal front (Stations 2 and 3). Spatial distribution in relation to tidal phase showed different patterns for the most abundant fish larval species. Circulation and larval distribution revealed that the bay was a source of young fish larvae but older individuals could also be recruited in and retained there. Results show that the front could act as a physical boundary for larvae transported from offshore through specific mechanism of circulation related with the tidal regime.

Oceanographic scenario and fish larval distribution off Guinea-Bissau (north-west Africa)

2014 ◽  
Vol 95 (3) ◽  
pp. 435-452 ◽  
Author(s):  
M.P. Jiménez ◽  
R.F. Sánchez-Leal ◽  
C. González ◽  
E. García-Isarch ◽  
A. García
Keyword(s):  
Surface Waters ◽  
Larval Fish ◽  
Fish Larvae ◽  
Inner Shelf ◽  
North West ◽  
Guinea Bissau ◽  
Larval Distribution ◽  
Océanographic Survey ◽  
Continental Runoff ◽  
Abundance And Diversity

This paper describes the hydrography and the larval fish assemblage of Guinea Bissau waters, and analyses the spatial distribution of the main families in relation to the oceanographic features of the area. Data were obtained during an oceanographic survey, undertaken between October and November 2008. In addition to 98 demersal fishing hauls, a total of 33 stations, located between 20 and 1000 m depth, were sampled for hydrography and ichthyoplankton. Data showed that Guinea-Bissauan surface waters are characterized by a strong thermohaline front that flows parallel to the bathymetry of the area. Warm surface waters (SST > 29°C) occupy the inner shelf, and colder (SST < 26°C), chlorophyll-a-rich waters take over the shelf break. Continental runoff seems responsible for the low salinity of the inner-shelf waters whereas the colder types bear thermohaline features typical of tropical Atlantic waters. These features define a scenario which favours the development of fish early life stages, reflected in the high abundance and diversity of fish larvae recorded. A total of 84 taxa of fish larvae were identified. Only the family Clupeidae accounted for 54.8% of the sampled larvae. Other important families were Carangidae (8.8%), Sparidae (8.4%) and Myctophidae (5.9%).

Escape Responses of Herring Larvae to Visual Stimuli

1989 ◽  
Vol 69 (3) ◽  
pp. 647-654 ◽  
Author(s):  
R.S. Batty
Keyword(s):  
Startle Response ◽  
Larval Fish ◽  
Fish Larvae ◽  
Adult Population ◽  
Juvenile Fish ◽  
Reciprocal Inhibition ◽  
Contralateral Side ◽  
The Body ◽  
Different Types ◽  
Trunk Musculature

Predation is now considered the main cause of mortality in larval and juvenile fish (Hunter, 1984) and is therefore the most important factor controlling recruitment to the adult population. Marine fish larvae are prey for many different types of predator including medusae, crustaceans and larger fish. When predatory attacks are sensed both adult and larval fish may respond by making a 'C-start', a very fast, simultaneous contraction of the trunk musculature that deforms the body into a C-shape within 20 ms (Eaton & Hackett, 1984). This startle response is mediated by the Mauthner cells, a pair of prominent neurones in the hind brain or by other reticulo-spinal cells located in the same region. As a result of reciprocal inhibition and decussation of the cell axon, stimulation on one side of the body results in contraction of all the muscle on the contralateral side.

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