Otoliths of sub-adult Lake Sturgeon Acipenser fulvescens contain aragonite and vaterite calcium carbonate polymorphs

Alison R. Loeppky, Bryan C. Chakoumakos, Brenda M. Pracheil, W. Gary Anderson

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

8 Scopus citations

Abstract

In this study we quantified the percent CaCO 3 polymorph composition in otoliths of larval and juvenile Lake Sturgeon Acipenser fulvescens via X-ray microdiffraction. Sagittal otoliths of sub-adults were primarily composed of aragonite (> 90%) while the lapilli otoliths were 100% vaterite. This is the first time the presence of aragonite in otoliths has been reported in an acipenseriform and is surprising given that the ability to form aragonite otoliths was not thought to have evolved until the separation of teleost and holostean species from other Actinopterygian fishes (e.g., sturgeon, paddlefish, gar).

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)810-814
Number of pages5
JournalJournal of Fish Biology
Volume94
Issue number5
DOIs
StatePublished - May 2019

Funding

Funding for this research was provided to WGA by NSERC/Manitoba Industrial Research Chair and NSERC Discovery grant (05348-15). Research at ORNL was sponsored by the Scientific User Facilities Division, Office of Basic Energy Sciences. The authors thank the animal holding staff at the University of Manitoba for assistance in care and maintenance of the fish in addition to L. Belding, C. Brandt, F. Bjornson, M. Earhart and G. Yoon. Further, North South consultants are thanked for their assistance in fish capture.

Keywords

  • X-ray diffraction
  • juvenile
  • larvae

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