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Culture‐Induced Abnormalities in Tautog
Author(s) -
Schwartz Jesse,
Marshall Kristin,
Moran Brandy,
Kaufman Les
Publication year - 2005
Publication title -
north american journal of aquaculture
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.432
H-Index - 41
eISSN - 1548-8454
pISSN - 1522-2055
DOI - 10.1577/a03-050.1
Subject(s) - morphometrics , biology , hatchery , fish <actinopterygii> , zoology , aquaculture , fishery , veterinary medicine , anatomy , medicine
We compared external and internal morphometrics of tautog Tautoga onitis reared by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Sea Grant Marine Finfish Hatchery with wild fish collected in Woods Hole, Massachusetts. Twenty‐five length‐standardized external morphometrics differed statistically between cultured ( N = 5; standard length [SL] 93–152 mm) and wild caught ( N = 5; 108–170 mm SL) fish based on a size‐corrected discriminant analysis (canonical correlate 1 > 0.99, P < 0.001). Forty length‐standardized morphometrics of pharyngeal morphology and feeding musculature differed statistically in discriminant comparisons (canonical correlate 1 > 0.99, P < 0.001 for both tests) between wild ( N = 9; 117–442 mm SL) and cultured fish ( N = 10; 125–275 mm SL). The lower pharyngeal jaws of cultured individuals were similar to those of wild fish in their surface area and tooth density but were distorted and exhibited irregular tooth placement. Cultured tautogs also exhibited a foreshortening of the head superficially, similar to a “pugheaded” condition as compared with wild fish. The source, nature, and impacts of these aberrations should be investigated carefully before culture and release of tautogs is pursued. Alternative culture methods may be needed to reduce or eliminate possible culture‐related abnormalities that may compromise survival or ecological performance in the wild.