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Ontogenetic habitat utilization of a coral reef fish, Acanthurus xanthopterus Valenciennes, 1835 in a tropical estuarine system, South India; A first report with its morphological and molecular descriptions

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  21 February 2025

Nidhin Balachandran Open the ORCID record for Nidhin Balachandran [Opens in a new window] ,
Deepak Jose ,
Harikrishnan Mahadevan ,
Sruthi Kutteri  and
Rithin Raj Mozhikulangara
Nidhin Balachandran*
Affiliation:
School of Industrial Fisheries, Cochin University of Science and Technology, Kochi 682016, Kerala, India
Deepak Jose
Affiliation:
CSIR-National Institute of Oceanography, Dona Paula, Goa 403004, India
Harikrishnan Mahadevan
Affiliation:
School of Industrial Fisheries, Cochin University of Science and Technology, Kochi 682016, Kerala, India
Sruthi Kutteri
Affiliation:
School of Industrial Fisheries, Cochin University of Science and Technology, Kochi 682016, Kerala, India
Rithin Raj Mozhikulangara
Affiliation:
School of Industrial Fisheries, Cochin University of Science and Technology, Kochi 682016, Kerala, India
*
Corresponding author: Nidhin Balachandran; Email: [email protected]
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Abstract

Providing nursery habitats to a number of marine fish larvae that recruit after prolonged pelagic larval duration, has been identified as one of ecosystem services rendered by estuaries and protected inshore water bodies like mangroves, mudflats, swamps, and marshes. Larval fish congregation and survival are largely dependent on abiotic and biotic potential of such systems and many migrant marine fishes are adapted to them. However, occurrences of larval forms of tropical reef-associated vagrant species which are known for extensive range adaptations generate considerable academic interest. The present study provides the first report of ontogenic habitat utilization of yellow fin surgeon fish, Acanthurus xanthopterus Valenciennes 1835 in a tropical microtidal positive estuary, the Vembanad lake, South India. Surface plankton collections from the downstream part of the estuary revealed considerable proportions of acanthurid larvae in post monsoon (mean 354 ± 180 numbers/100 m3) and pre monsoon (mean 217 ± 120 numbers/100 m3) while they were absent in monsoon season. These acronurus larval forms were morphologically identified and sorted before being subjected for DNA barcoding. Mitochondrial DNA COI sequences developed from morphologically characterized acronurus larvae exhibited genetic congruency to sequence of A. xanthopterus which was evident from phylogram (bootstrap support of 100) and genetic distance data (intraspecific distance of 0%). The study indicates that Acronurus larvae of A. xanthopterus, after extensive cross-habitat dispersal, utilize the estuarine habitat to promote potential growth.

Keywords

acronurusCochin estuaryDNA barcodingfish larvaeichthyoplanktonsurgeon fish
Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom , Volume 105 , 2025 , e23
Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s), 2025. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom

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