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Otolith chemistry of prey fish consumed by a fish predator: does digestion hinder Russian doll techniques?
Author(s) -
Phelps Q. E.,
Noatch M. R.,
Lewis H. A.,
Myers D. J.,
Zeigler J. M.,
Eichelberger J. S.,
Saltzgiver M. J.,
Whitledge G. W.
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
journal of fish biology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.672
H-Index - 115
eISSN - 1095-8649
pISSN - 0022-1112
DOI - 10.1111/j.1095-8649.2009.02454.x
Subject(s) - micropterus , bass (fish) , biology , otolith , predation , lepomis macrochirus , predator , trace element , fishery , stable isotope ratio , fish <actinopterygii> , zoology , ecology , chemistry , organic chemistry , physics , quantum mechanics
The effect of digestion by a predatory fish (largemouth bass Micropterus salmoides ) on stable isotopic (δ 13 C and δ 18 O) and trace elemental (Sr:Ca and Ba:Ca) compositions of prey fish (bluegill Lepomis macrochirus ) otoliths was investigated in a laboratory experiment. Trace element and stable‐isotopic signatures of L. macrochirus otoliths were not significantly altered for up to 16 h after L. macrochirus were consumed by M. salmoides . Prey fish otoliths recovered from predator digesta can retain environmental stable isotopic and trace elemental signatures, suggesting that determination of environmental history for prey fishes by stable‐isotope and trace‐element analysis of otoliths recovered from stomachs of piscivorous fishes will be feasible.