Preprint volume - SIBM

Pre-print Volume –Posters
NECTON AND FISHERY COMMITEE
M. VALLISNERI 1 , M. STAGIONI 1,2 , S. MONTANINI 1,2 , S. TOMMASINI 1
1 Department of Evolutionary Experimental Biology, University of Bologna,
Via Selmi, 3 – 40126 Bologna, Italy.
maria.vallisneri@unibo.it
2 Laboratory of Marine Biology and Fisheries, University of Bologna, Italy.
COMPARATIVE MORPHOLOGY OF TRIGLIDAE OTOLITHS
FROM THE NORTH-MIDDLE ADRIATIC SEA
MORFOLOGIA COMPARATIVA DEGLI OTOLITI DEI TRIGLIDI
IN ALTO-MEDIO ADRIATICO
Abstract – The sagittal otoliths of Triglidae family from the Adriatic Sea (north-eastern Mediterranean)
were described using morphological and morphometric characters. The morphological descriptions were
based on the otolith shape, outline and sulcus acusticus features. The morphometric parameters determined
were expressed in terms of 5 shape indices. Otolith shape intra-inter specific changes have been described
providing informations about species identification, fish size, sex and phylogenesis.
Key-words: otolith reading, shape, Triglidae.
Introduction - Triglidae (Teleostei, Scorpaeniformes) are known for their sound
producing ability in agonistic contexts related to territorial defense, reproduction and
competitive feeding (Amorim et al., 2004). In the Adriatic Sea (north-eastern
Mediterranean) triglids are represented by 7 species: Aspitrigla cuculus (ASPICUC),
Chelidonichthys lastoviza (TRIPLAS), C. lucerna (TRIGLUC), Eutrigla gurnardus
(EUTRGUR) Lepidotrigla cavillone (LEPTCAV), L. dieuzeidei (LEPTDIE), Trigla lyra
(TRIGLYR), poorly discussed for the Mediterranean Sea (Vallisneri et al., 2010).
Otolith shape and sulcus acusticus features, related to genetic and environmental
factors, might be an important key for species identification. The aim of this study was
to analyze interspecific and intraspecific shape differences in sagittal otoliths of triglid
species.
Materials and methods – Samples of seven Triglidae species were collected during
several bottom trawl surveys in the north-middle Adriatic Sea, from the Gulf of Trieste
to the Tremiti Islands in 2007 and 2008. For each specimen total length (TL, mm),
weight (W, g) and sex were recorded. A total of 634 sagittal otoliths were removed,
washed and weighed to 0.01 mg. The sagittae were photographed under a microscope
(Leica MZ6-Nikon P5100). The images were processed with ImageJ (Rasband, 2008)
to calculate five shape indices (aspect ratio, roundness, rectangularity, ellipticity,
circularity). Shape indices for which “species-length” interactions were significant
(P