Fish ID face-off: A comparison of genetic barcoding and otolith shape analysis for streamlining species identification of mesopelagic fishes

IF 2.2 2区农林科学 Q2 FISHERIES

Fisheries Research Pub Date : 2025-01-01 DOI:10.1016/j.fishres.2024.107254

Lydia N. Walton , Micah Quindazzi , Stéphane Gauthier , Catherine Stevens

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Identifying fish to species level is important for fisheries research as it ensures the accuracy of catch data reported by fishing vessels and informs best management strategies for harvested taxa. Genetic methods are one of the most common techniques used for identifying fish species but can be time-consuming and costly and may lead to incorrect or incomplete identifications if genetic baselines do not exist. Visual identifications using otolith shape are an inexpensive alternative that can be used to identify large numbers of fish samples quickly and with high accuracy. The objective of this study was to compare two methods of taxonomic identification (i.e., DNA barcoding of the COI-5P marker and visual identifications using body morphology, distinguishing features and otolith shape) for 240 specimens of mesopelagic fishes as they occupy a critical role in marine food webs. We also tested the effectiveness of geometric morphometrics in delineating species of mesopelagic fishes based on otolith shape. Our results showed that visual identifications agreed with genetic identifications 89 % of the time, and that both techniques were effective for identifying mesopelagic fishes. Additionally, we found that geometric morphometrics were successful in distinguishing mesopelagic fishes using otolith shape 86 % of the time. Otolith shape is a useful tool for the taxonomic identification of mesopelagic fishes in the Northeast Pacific Ocean and should be employed with higher frequency by fisheries researchers, especially in the absence of taxonomic or genetic expertise.

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来源期刊

Fisheries Research 农林科学-渔业

CiteScore

4.50

自引率

16.70%

发文量

294

审稿时长

15 weeks

期刊介绍： This journal provides an international forum for the publication of papers in the areas of fisheries science, fishing technology, fisheries management and relevant socio-economics. The scope covers fisheries in salt, brackish and freshwater systems, and all aspects of associated ecology, environmental aspects of fisheries, and economics. Both theoretical and practical papers are acceptable, including laboratory and field experimental studies relevant to fisheries. Papers on the conservation of exploitable living resources are welcome. Review and Viewpoint articles are also published. As the specified areas inevitably impinge on and interrelate with each other, the approach of the journal is multidisciplinary, and authors are encouraged to emphasise the relevance of their own work to that of other disciplines. The journal is intended for fisheries scientists, biological oceanographers, gear technologists, economists, managers, administrators, policy makers and legislators.