Stock discrimination using sagittal otolith morphology of seven Carangidae species from the Dongsha Islands in the South China Sea

Abstract:

The morphological characteristics of sagittal otoliths of 135 individuals of Carangidae (Decapterus macrosoma, D. tabl, D. kurroides, Trachurus japonicus, Alectis ciliaris, Caranx equula, Selar crumenophthalmus) collected from the Dongsha Islands in the South China Sea were studied in this paper. The entire morphology of sagittal otolith of 7 species of Carangidae was long oval, quadrilateral and semicircular curved hooked. There were knobs around the otolith with the development of rostrum and sulcus. The sulcus extends from the excisural notch of the anterior part of otolith to the posterior part of otolith. The results show that the morphological characteristics of otoliths of 7 species of Carangidae were obviously different among species. The systematic classification and retrieval table established by otolith morphology and the application of cluster analysis were effective in identifying otolith morphology. This study will provide some reference for the stock identification and systematic classification of Carangidae.