College of Marine Sciences, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China; Center for Polar Research, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China.
College of Marine Sciences, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China; Center for Polar Research, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China; National Engineering Research Center for Oceanic Fisheries, Shanghai 201306, China; Polar Marine Ecosystem Group, The Key Laboratory of Sustainable Exploitation of Oceanic Fisheries Resources, Shanghai Ocean University, Ministry of Education, Shanghai 201306, China.
Zoology (Jena). 2022 Aug;153:126025. doi: 10.1016/j.zool.2022.126025. Epub 2022 Jun 23.
Fish otolith shapes record ecological information of fish and are an important tool in taxonomic, phylogenetic, and dietary studies. Shape and ontogenetic variations in the otoliths of ocellated icefish (Chionodraco rastrospinosus) in the Bransfield Strait, northern Antarctic Peninsula, were analyzed. Ontogenetic changes in otolith morphology were evident. The size of the otoliths mainly grew along the antero-posterior axis. The rostrum and pararostrum developed more than the antirostrum and postrostrum. Otolith variation occurred mainly in the dorsal side compared to ventral side. A row of small holes in the central region of the medial side and an irregular protruded structure on both sides of them, were specific diagnostic characteristics of C. rastrospinosus otoliths compared to other species of Chionodraco. Based on hierarchical clustering analysis, four types of otolith shapes are clearly distinguished, corresponding to larval, juvenile, young, and adult stages of C. rastrospinosus. This work contributes to the understanding of the ecology of commercially important benthic fishes and provides key information for ecomorphology study and fishery management of this species. We suggest the effect of ontogeny needs to be considered when otolith shape data are used to study population structure and life history of this species.
鱼耳石形状记录了鱼类的生态信息，是分类学、系统发育学和饮食研究的重要工具。本研究分析了南极半岛北部布兰斯菲尔德海峡眼斑冰鱼（Chionodraco rastrospinosus）耳石的形态和个体发育变化。耳石形态的个体发育变化明显。耳石的大小主要沿前后轴生长。吻突和副吻突比前吻突和后吻突发育得更好。与腹侧相比，耳石的变化主要发生在背侧。中侧中央区域的一排小孔和它们两侧的不规则突起结构是 C. rastrospinosus 耳石与其他 Chionodraco 物种相比的特异性诊断特征。基于层次聚类分析，可清楚地区分 C. rastrospinosus 的四种耳石形状，分别对应于幼虫、幼鱼、年轻鱼和成年鱼阶段。本研究有助于了解商业上重要的底栖鱼类的生态学，并为该物种的生态形态学研究和渔业管理提供关键信息。我们建议在使用耳石形状数据研究该物种的种群结构和生活史时，需要考虑个体发育的影响。
