Isotopic shifts with size, culture habitat, and enrichment between the diet and tissues of the Japanese scallop Mizuhopecten yessoensis (Jay, 1857)

Use of stable isotope signatures to trace diet patterns in cultured marine bivalves, particularly when changing culture habitat, requires knowledge of the isotopic shift and enrichment between diet and consumer's tissues. The aim of this study was to determine the patterns of isotope change and the variability of enrichment values (Δδ13C and Δδ15N) in different tissues (muscle, gonad, digestive gland) of the Japanese scallop (Mizuhopecten yessoensis). It was hypothesized that the isotopic signatures of a consumer's tissues changed during settlement, and that the changes were related to variations in the isotopic signatures of food sources and gut contents. Particular attention was paid to the isotope enrichment between the diet and a consumer's tissues using isotope analysis of gut content. Muscle δ15N values decreased significantly 3-5 months post-settlement in a nearshore seabed, concomitant with the ingestion of lower δ15N food. For juvenile scallops, sinking particles (SP) were considered a more important dietary source than suspended particulate organic matter (SPOM), based on the correspondence between SP and gut contents δ13C. Enrichment values (Δδ13C and Δδ15N) varied with tissue and season. Δδ15N was 2.4‰ in muscle, 1.2‰ in gonad, and 0.7‰ in the digestive gland. Δδ13C was 3.2‰ in muscle, 2.3‰ in gonad, and -0.5‰ in the digestive gland. Δδ15N was the lowest in summer (0.3‰), and Δδ13C was the highest in autumn (2.8‰). Δδ15N values were significantly influenced by age, but not Δδ13C. Patterns of isotope ratios and enrichment values may be related to physiological attributes and differences in diet. This is the first study to demonstrate isotopic shift and enrichment encountered in different tissues of a cultured scallop when changing culture habitat

Nitrogen stable isotopes reveal age-dependent dietary shift in the Japanese scallop <i>Mizuhopecten yessoensis</i>

<p>Ontogenetic niche shifts in diet are a consequence of changes in body size or resource partitioning between age classes. To better resolve the feeding patterns of the Japanese scallop <i>Mizuhopecten yessoensis</i>, we examined the relative importance of age and size in the diet of this species using stable isotope ratios of carbon (δ¹³C) and nitrogen (δ¹⁵N) from 2006 to 2009. Contribution of food sources was quantified using an isotope mixing model by comparing the muscle tissue isotope ratios to those of suspended particulate organic matter (SPOM) and their zooplankton prey (e.g. micro- and meso-zooplankton). Unlike the δ¹³C values, which remained constant with age and size, muscle δ¹⁵N values were more positively correlated with age accounting for 69 % of variations than size with only 46 %. Increasing ¹⁵N values with age suggested that shifts in diet from SPOM to micro- and meso-zooplankton occurred during ontogeny in <i>M. yessoensis</i>. Results of the isotope mixing model indicated that SPOM contribution to scallop’s diet decreased from 68 to 8 % while those of zooplankton increased from 15 to 50 % with increasing age. This study concludes that age-related dietary shift explains the enrichment of ¹⁵N, as a result of predation on zooplankton by <i>M. yessoensis</i>.</p

Larval and early juvenile development of silver therapon, Leiopotherapon plumbeus (Actinopterygii: Perciformes: Terapontidae), reared in mesocosms

The silver therapon, Leiopotherapon plumbeus (Kner, 1864), is an endemic and economically important freshwater food fish in the Philippines. The natural populations of this species have been declining during the past years, mainly due to intense fishing pressure, habitat degradation, and introduction of invasive alien species. At present, it is considered a target species for domestication and conservation efforts. Despite several attempts of artificial reproduction and larval rearing, little is known on larval and early juvenile development of silver therapon. The presently reported study was therefore intended to fill this gap in the knowledge by determining the growth and describing body proportions, pigmentation, and fin formation of this fish. Newly hatched larvae were reared in mesocosm tanks at a mean temperature of 29.5°C. Larvae up to 30 days after hatching were sampled at irregular intervals and preserved in 5% buffered formalin. Early development stages for 245 preserved specimens were described in detail with reference to changes in morphology, growth and body proportions, pigmentation, and fin formation. Five developmental stages of silver therapon were identified: yolk sac larva (1.88 mm TL), preflexion (2.51 mm TL), notochord flexion (4.50-8.27 mm TL), postflexion larva (6.90-12.21 mm TL), and early juvenile (>13.40 mm TL). Growth was isometric for eye diameter and gape size whereas positive allometry was observed for body depth, head length, and preanal length. Some body proportions showed abrupt changes from preflexion to postflexion larvae before it stabilized during the early juvenile stage. Pigmentation in the form of stellate and punctate melanophores increased with developmental stage, with larvae becoming heavily pigmented from postflexion to early juvenile stage. These morphological changes, together with the full complement of fin rays and squamation observed in specimens larger than 13.4 mm TL, suggest the attainment of the juvenile stage of this species. These morphological changes may explain the food and feeding habits during the early life stages of silver therapon which is critical to their survival and recruitment in the wild and in a mesocosm hatchery environment.This work was supported by SEAFDEC Aquaculture Department under the Study code: Nr-04- F2010B. We express our gratitude to Miss Julie Andrea P. Añano, Mr Nemencio B. Olorvida and the student interns from the Polytechnic University of the Philippines (Santa Mesa, Manila) for their assistance during the study

Gonad development and size‐at‐maturity of silver therapon Leiopotherapon plumbeus (Kner 1864; Teleostei:Terapontidae) in tropical volcanic lakes in south Luzon, Philippines

Gonad development of the silver therapon Leiopotherapon plumbeus in two volcanic crater lake habitats (Sampaloc Lake, Taal Lake) in south Luzon, Philippines was examined during the annual reproductive cycle. The minimum body size‐at‐maturity of fish in these two lake habitats was also compared. Four gonad development stages were characterized as basis for the classification of ovarian (immature, maturing, mature, spawned) and testicular maturation (immature, maturing, mature) phases. The occurrence of all development stages in individual gonads suggest an asynchronous development whereby advanced stages are recruited continuously from a pool of younger stage germ cells to result in elevated female and male GSI throughout the annual cycle due to active gonadogenesis. Together with the increasing occurrence of advanced stage oocytes and spermatozoa from March until October, the elevated GSI of fish may indicate peak gonadal growth during the onset of the dry season (December–January) for eventual spawning from the beginning (May–June) until the end of the wet season (October–November). In both lake habitats, male fish were smaller than females but, regardless of sex, the minimum size‐at‐maturity of fish in Sampaloc Lake was significantly smaller than fish in Taal Lake. Overall, asynchronous development during oogenesis and spermatogenesis allows for year‐round reproduction of silver therapon, with elevated gonad growth in the dry season in preparation for spawning during the wet season. Compared with fish in Taal Lake, a smaller size‐at‐maturity of fish in Sampaloc Lake may be a response of the wild fishery stock to long‐term high fishing mortality and degradation of the lake habitat