<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">

We collected flying fish (<italic>Exocoetus volitans</italic>) from the South China Sea to determine whether fish scale isotope values correlate with those from muscle, and discuss relevant eco-environmental implications. A significant positive correlation was determined between fish scales and muscle δ13C and δ15N, rendering a fish scale an alternative to muscle tissue for stable isotope analysis. However, muscle and scale isotopic offsets should be fully considered when using δ13C and δ15N to analyze the actual trophic level of fish and their food source. The average offsets of δ13C and δ15N between muscles and scales are -2.1 ± 0.5‰ and 2.3 ± 0.6‰, respectively, though these values vary slightly with fish mass. Weak correlations were found between δ13C and δ15N, both in the flying fish muscle and scales, suggesting that other factors are influencing δ13C and δ15N. Fish δ15N also correlates with the size of individuals, while δ13C reflects the marine habitat. Based on our data, it appears that more eco-environmental processes can be revealed from modern or ancient flying fish scales.
</abstract>

We collected flying fish (Exocoetus volitans) from the South China Sea to determine whether fish scale isotope values correlate with those from muscle, and discuss relevant eco-environmental implications. A significant positive correlation was determined between fish scales and muscle δ13C and δ15N, rendering a fish scale an alternative to muscle tissue for stable isotope analysis. However, muscle and scale isotopic offsets should be fully considered when using δ13C and δ15N to analyze the actual trophic level of fish and their food source. The average offsets of δ13C and δ15N between muscles and scales are -2.1 ± 0.5‰ and 2.3 ± 0.6‰, respectively, though these values vary slightly with fish mass. Weak correlations were found between δ13C and δ15N, both in the flying fish muscle and scales, suggesting that other factors are influencing δ13C and δ15N. Fish δ15N also correlates with the size of individuals, while δ13C reflects the marine habitat. Based on our data, it appears that more eco-environmental processes can be revealed from modern or ancient flying fish scales.

Correlation between δ13C and δ15N in flying fish (<italic>Exocoetus volitans</italic>) muscle and scales from the South China Sea

University of Science and Technology of China

Oceanological and Hydrobiological Studies

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Correlation between δC and δN in flying fish () muscle and scales from the South China Sea

We collected flying fish (Exocoetus volitans) from the South China Sea to determine whether fish scale isotope values correlate with those from muscle, and...

isotope		muscle	scale
δ¹³C(‰)	min	−18.3	−17.5
	max	−16.9	−14.2
	mean±SD	−17.7±0.4	−15.6±0.8
δ¹⁵N(‰)	min	6.3	3.8
	max	11.4	9.2
	mean ± SD	8.6 ± 1.0	6.3 ± 0.8

Correlation between δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N in flying fish (Exocoetus volitans) muscle and scales from the South China Sea

Article Category: Original research paper

Online veröffentlicht: 27. Sept. 2017

Seitenbereich: 307 - 313

Eingereicht: 16. Jan. 2017

Akzeptiert: 16. März 2017

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/ohs-2017-0032

© 2017 Faculty of Oceanography and Geography, University of Gdańsk, Poland. All rights reserved

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Statistics of δ13C and δ15N in flying fish muscle and scales (n = 82)

Correlation between δ13C and δ15N in flying fish (Exocoetus volitans) muscle and scales from the South China Sea

Article Category: Original research paper

Online veröffentlicht: 27. Sept. 2017

Seitenbereich: 307 - 313

Eingereicht: 16. Jan. 2017

Akzeptiert: 16. März 2017

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/ohs-2017-0032

© 2017 Faculty of Oceanography and Geography, University of Gdańsk, Poland. All rights reserved

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Statistics of δ13C and δ15N in flying fish muscle and scales (n = 82)

Correlation between δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N in flying fish (Exocoetus volitans) muscle and scales from the South China Sea