To the fish migration study project started in 2017 by the Institute of Ichthyology, dependent on the University of the Northeast of Corrientes, added new research, related to the study of “otoliths”, the possibility of carrying out chemical analyzes of them, according to a note on the Norte 24 portal of Santa Fe.
These structures are located in the ear of the fish, which some call the “black box” of species, due to the information they store. As the fish grows it incorporates minerals into that bone structure, which is something similar to a bone. In that place, minerals are deposited daily that allow its growth throughout its life. In addition to incorporating calcium salts that give it its main structure, it adds other minerals found in water. In exclusive dialogue with the aforementioned portal, the doctor in Biological Sciences and graduate in Genetics, Sebastián Sánchez, told about the initiative and explained that “as the Plata basin is very wide and receives the influence of different habitats, all this ends up coming together in the Río de la Plata, which as it moves away from the mouth of the Paraná and Uruguay, causes large changes in the chemical composition of the water to occur in certain areas, which can be detected precisely in the otoliths.”
How these structures are too small to carry out such studies Laser equipment is needed that does not exist in Argentina, so we work with a team from Europe. As an example, they point out that “in the shad, for example, it can be observed whether they were in the estuary of the Río de la Plata, where the water is markedly saltier than in the Paraná basin, Uruguay, Paraguay, information that accumulates in the otoliths, being able to affirm that it has been in said environment”.
When asked if there is a possibility of knowing if, given the fact of having been in several basins, it could be determined if each of them contributes different growth, the specialist explained that “the otolith grows homogeneously, while the fish, Growth will depend on whether you have plenty of food or not. “What can be determined is through the analysis of the otolith nucleus, which is the first calcareous formation that existed in the animal at birth, precisely one can know if that fish comes from the Paraguay, Paraná or Uruguay river basin.”
“As the years go by, time marks growth rings that allow us to determine age and by analyzing the chemical composition it will be possible to say if he was born and lived three years in the Paraná basin and if he moved; He did spend some time in the Paraguay basin. Therefore, by analyzing the growth rings of said structure, the age can be determined, while With the analysis of the chemical composition it can be stated – for example – that he was born and lived for three years in the Paraná basin, which then emigrated to the Paraguay basin where he lived for three or 4 years.. “All this information can be obtained by studying the chemical composition of the otoliths.”
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2023-12-17 13:00:00
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