Characterization of carbonate fraction of the Atlantic bluefin tuna fin spine bone matrix for stable isotope analysis.

ABSTRACT: The mineral component of fish otoliths (ear bones), which is aragonitic calcium carbonate (CaCO₃), makes this structure the preferred sample choice for measuring biological carbon and oxygen-stable isotopes in order to address fundamental questions in fish ecology and fisheries science. The main drawback is that the removal of otoliths requires sacrificing the specimen, which is particularly impractical for endangered and commercially valuable species such as Atlantic bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus) (ABFT). This study explores the suitability of using the first dorsal fin spine bone of ABFT as a non-lethal alternative to otolith analysis or as a complementary hard structure. The fin spines of freshly caught ABFT were collected to identify carbonate ions within the m

SUBMITTER: Luque PL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6642792 | biostudies-literature | 2019

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature