Abstract
The European barbel Barbus barbus L. is considered a ‘flag’ species for river conservation and sport fishing, but it is increasingly threatened in its native range of distribution. To provide accurate age estimates during early life for appropriate management and conservation measures, the bias and precision of otolith (daily) micro-increment counts were evaluated and age determinations validated on laboratory-reared embryos and larvae. Out of the three pairs of otoliths, the lapillus and sagitta provided reliable age estimates for free embryos and larvae up to 17 days of (known) age post-fertilisation, with first micro-increment formation occurring five days postfertilisation. On the other hand, micro-increments on asterisci formed only 16–17 days post-fertilisation. There was agreement in microincrement counts based on lapilli and sagittae, but not between interpreters, indicating that despite consistency between the two pairs of otoliths extensive training and experience are required for reliable age interpretation. The ability to estimate the ages of 0+ B. barbus from their otoliths will contribute to a better understanding of growth rates from both hatchery-stocked and native/introduced cohorts.
[1] Nunn A.D., Harvey J.P., Cowx I.G., Variations in the spawning periodicity of eight fish species in three English lowland rivers over a 6 year period, inferred from 0+ year fish length distributions, J. Fish Biol., 2007, 70, 1254–1267 http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1095-8649.2007.01415.x10.1111/j.1095-8649.2007.01415.xSearch in Google Scholar
[2] Nunn A.D., Harvey J.P., Britton J.R., Frear P.A., Cowx I.G., Fish, climate and the Gulf Stream: the influence of abiotic factors on the recruitment success of cyprinid fishes in lowland rivers, Freshwat. Biol., 2007, 52, 1576–1586 http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2427.2007.01789.x10.1111/j.1365-2427.2007.01789.xSearch in Google Scholar
[3] Britton J.R., Pegg J., Ecology of European barbel Barbus barbus: implications for river, fishery, and conservation management, Rev. Fish. Sci., 2011, 19, 321–330 http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/10641262.2011.59988610.1080/10641262.2011.599886Search in Google Scholar
[4] Peňáz M., Pivnička K., Baruš V., Prokeš M., Temporal changes in the abundance of barbel, Barbus barbus in the Jihlava River, Czech Republic, Folia Zool., 2003, 52, 441–448 Search in Google Scholar
[5] Wheeler A., Jordan D.R., The status of the barbel, Barbus barbus (L.) (Teleostei, cyprinidae), in the United Kingdom, J. Fish Biol., 1990, 37, 393–399 http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1095-8649.1990.tb05870.x10.1111/j.1095-8649.1990.tb05870.xSearch in Google Scholar
[6] Pilcher M., Copp G.H., Winter distribution and habitat use of fish in a regulated lowland river system of South-East England, Fish. Manage. Ecol., 1997, 4, 199–215 http://dx.doi.org/10.1046/j.1365-2400.1997.00120.x10.1046/j.1365-2400.1997.00120.xSearch in Google Scholar
[7] Watkins M.S., Doherty S., Copp G.H., Microhabitat use by 0+ and older fishes in a small English chalk stream, J. Fish Biol., 1997, 50, 1010–1024 http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1095-8649.1997.tb01626.x10.1111/j.1095-8649.1997.tb01626.xSearch in Google Scholar
[8] Pegg J., Britton J.R., Effects of inter- and intraspecific competition on the growth rates of juvenile European barbel Barbus barbus used in the stock enhancement of UK fisheries, Fish. Res., 2011, 112, 8–12 http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.fishres.2011.08.00310.1016/j.fishres.2011.08.003Search in Google Scholar
[9] Copp G.H., Doherty S., Faulkner H., Watkins M.S., Majecki J., Diel drift behaviour of fish eggs and larvae, in particular barbel, Barbus barbus (L.), in an English chalk stream, Fish. Manage. Ecol., 2002, 9, 95–104 http://dx.doi.org/10.1046/j.1365-2400.2002.00286.x10.1046/j.1365-2400.2002.00286.xSearch in Google Scholar
[10] Copp G.H., Spathari S., Turmel M., Consistency of diel behaviour and interactions of stream fishes and invertebrates during summer, River Res. Appl., 2005, 21, 75–90 http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/rra.83310.1002/rra.833Search in Google Scholar
[11] Copp G.H., Behaviour of young and small fishes in the River Lee over a 24-h cycle in mid summer, Lond. Nat., 2004, 83, 87–95 Search in Google Scholar
[12] Vilizzi L., Copp G.H., Behavioural responses of 0+ barbel in an artificial stream: distribution and velocity use, Anim. Behav., 2001, 61, 645–654 http://dx.doi.org/10.1006/anbe.2000.162810.1006/anbe.2000.1628Search in Google Scholar
[13] Vilizzi L., Copp G.H., An analysis of 0+ barbel (Barbus barbus) response to discharge fluctuations in a flume, River Res. Appl., 2005, 21, 421–438 http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/rra.80610.1002/rra.806Search in Google Scholar
[14] Vilizzi L., Copp G.H., Diel densities of young-oftheyear fishes in the River Lee (Hertfordshire) over a 24-h period in late summer, Lond. Nat., 2008, 87, 113–117 Search in Google Scholar
[15] Vilizzi L., Copp G.H., Interstitial movement and emergence of barbel, Barbus barbus, free embryos and larvae in a laboratory flume, J. Fish Biol., 2012, 82, 1057–1063 http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/jfb.1203310.1111/jfb.12033Search in Google Scholar
[16] Campana S.E., Neilson J.D., Microstructure of fish otoliths, Can. J. Fish. Aquat. Sci., 1985, 42, 1014–1032 http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/f85-12710.1139/f85-127Search in Google Scholar
[17] Peňáz M., Embryonic development of the barb, Barbus barbus (Linnaeus, 1758), Zool. Listy, 1973, 22, 363–374 Search in Google Scholar
[18] Escot C., Granado-Lorencio C., Morphology of the otoliths of Barbus sclateri (Pisces: Cyprinidae), J. Zool., 1998, 246, 89–94 http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1469-7998.1998.tb00136.x10.1111/j.1469-7998.1998.tb00136.xSearch in Google Scholar
[19] Campana S.E., Annand M.C., McMillan J.I., Graphical and statistical methods for determining the consistency of age determinations, Trans. Am. Fish. Soc., 1995, 124, 131–138 http://dx.doi.org/10.1577/1548-8659(1995)124<0131:GASMFD>2.3.CO;210.1577/1548-8659(1995)124<0131:GASMFD>2.3.CO;2Search in Google Scholar
[20] Hoenig J.M., Morgan M.J., Brown C.A., Analysing differences between two age determination methods by tests of symmetry, Can. J. Fish. Aquat. Sci., 1995, 52, 364–368 http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/f95-03810.1139/f95-038Search in Google Scholar
[21] Campana S.E., Accuracy, precision and quality control in age determination, including a review of the use and abuse of age validation methods, J. Fish Biol., 2001, 59, 197–242 http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1095-8649.2001.tb00127.x10.1111/j.1095-8649.2001.tb00127.xSearch in Google Scholar
[22] R Development Core Team, R: A language and environment for statistical computing, R Foundation for Statistical Computing, Vienna, Austria, 2010 Search in Google Scholar
[23] Ogle D., FishR vignette — Precision and accuracy in ages, Northland College, Wisconsin, USA, 2011 Search in Google Scholar
[24] Anderson A.J., Gorley R.N., Clarke K.R., PERMANOVA+ for PRIMER: Guide to Software and Statistical Methods, PRIMER-E Ltd, Plymouth, UK, 2008 Search in Google Scholar
[25] David A.W., Isely J.J., Grimes C.B., Differences between the sagitta, lapillus, and asteriscus in estimating age and growth in juvenile red drum, Sciaenops ocellatus, Fish. Bull., 1994, 92, 509–515 Search in Google Scholar
[26] Krupka I., Early development of the barbel Barbus barbus (Linnaeus, 1758), Práce Úst. Ryb. Hydrobiol., 1988, 6, 115–138 Search in Google Scholar
[27] Vilizzi L., Age, growth and cohort composition of 0+ carp in the River Murray, Australia, J. Fish Biol., 1988, 52, 997–1013 http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1095-8649.1998.tb00599.x10.1111/j.1095-8649.1998.tb00599.xSearch in Google Scholar
[28] Smith B.B., Walker K.F., Validation of the ageing of 0+ carp (Cyprinus carpio L.), Mar. Freshwat. Res., 2003, 54, 1005–1008 http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/MF0301010.1071/MF03010Search in Google Scholar
[29] Durham B.W., Wilde G.R., Validation of daily growth increment formation in the otoliths of juvenile cyprinid fishes from the Brazos River, Texas, N. Am. J. Fish. Manage., 2008, 28, 442–446 http://dx.doi.org/10.1577/M07-115.110.1577/M07-115.1Search in Google Scholar
[30] Morioka S., Kaunda E., Otolith growth increments in three cyprinid species in Lake Malawi and information of their early growth, In: Weyl O.L.F., Weyl M.V., (Eds.), Proceedings of the Lake Malawi Fisheries Management Symposium, 4th–9th June 2001, Capital Hotel, Lilongwe, Malawi, 2001, 220–226 Search in Google Scholar
[31] Vilizzi L., Walker K.F., Jain T., McGlennon D., Tsymbal V., Interpretability and precision of annulus counts for calcified structures in carp, Cyprinus carpio L., Archiv Hydrobiol., 1998, 143, 121–127 10.1127/archiv-hydrobiol/143/1998/121Search in Google Scholar
[32] Campana S.E., Gagne J.A., Munro J., Otolith microstructure of larval herring (Clupea harengus): image or reality?, Can. J. Fish. Aquat. Sci., 1987, 44, 1922–1929 http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/f87-23610.1139/f87-236Search in Google Scholar
[33] Taylor A.A.L., Britton J.R., Cowx I.G., Does the stock density of stillwater catch and release fisheries affect the growth performance of introduced cultured barbel?, J. Fish Biol., 2004, 65, 308–313 http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.0022-1112.2004.00548.x10.1111/j.0022-1112.2004.00548.xSearch in Google Scholar
© 2013 Versita Warsaw
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.
