Otolith edge fingerprints as approach for stock identification of Genidens barbus

The purpose of this paper is to assess the use of multi-elemental otolith fingerprints as a tool to delimit catfish Genidens barbus fish stocks in four estuaries from the southwestern Atlantic Ocean. Barium:Calcium (Ca), Magnesium:Ca, Manganese:Ca, Sodium:Ca and Strontium:Ca ratios in the otolith edge were determined by LA-ICPMS. PERMANOVA analysis reveal significant differences in the multi-element signatures among estuaries (p = 0.0001-0.002). Reclassification rates of quadratic discriminant analysis are high, averaging 89.9% (78-100%). The new data presented here show that the otolith chemistry is a potential tool for stock identification, and indicates the presence of at least four stocks which should probably be handled independently. (C) 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.CONICYT-Fondequip instrumentation grant M120098 CONICET PIP 112-20120100543CO ANPCyT PICT 2015-1823 Universidad de Buenos Aires UBACYT 20020150100052BA Universidade Federal do Rio Grande Centros Asociados para el Fortalecimiento de Posgrados Program CAFP BA 43/13 Long Term Ecological Program-CNPq PELD403809/2012-6 FAPERJ E26/110.114/2013 E26/112.636/2012 CNPQ 141267/2015-