Spatial environmental variability of natural markers and habitat use of Cathorops spixii in a neotropical estuary from otolith chemistry

MAICHAK DE CARVALHO, BARBARA; DANIEL, PUPO; ALEJANDRA VANINA VOLPEDO; JORGE PISONERO; MÉNDEZ, ANA; AVIGLIANO, ESTEBAN

JOURNAL OF THE MARINE BIOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION OF THE UNITED KINGDOM

CAMBRIDGE UNIV PRESS

Lugar: Cambridge; Año: 2020

0025-3154

The goal of this study was to study the distribution of potential habitat markers (Sr/Ca, Ba/Ca, Mn/Ca and Li/Ca) in water from the Paranaguá Estuarine Complex (Brazil) and, to study habitat use patterns of Cathorops spixii through ontogeny employing otolith microchemistry. Fish were caught from three sampling sites while water samples were collected at eight stations covering a salinity range from 4.54 to 33. Elemental concentrations in otolith and water were determined by LA-ICP-MS and ICP-MS, respectively. When the relationship between salinity and elements or ratios in water was studied, significant positive relationships were found for Sr, Li, Ca, Sr/Ca, and negative for Ba, Mn, Ba/Ca and Mn/Ca (p