Species composition on fish eggs in the coastal area of Tongyeong

Abstract

To know species composition of fish eggs is critical issue for searching fish spawning ground and time. Coastal area of Tongyeong where various fish larvae inhabit might be an important spawning ground of fish. To investigate its function as spawning ground, we collected fish eggs using underwater pump from March 2013 to August 2015 (10 times/day/2 weeks filtering volume, 10m3/hour/time filter mesh, 300 ㎛ depth, 3 m). Fish eggs were sorted into two groups, anchovy(Engraulis japonicus) and other eggs under a dissecting microscope. Partial COI mtDNA sequences from the other eggs were determined using next-generation sequencing. The massive nucleotide sequences were aligned to the COI reference database and classified to the species level. The pelagic fish eggs were identified as 49 species (including anchovy): commercial species such as red seabream Pagrus major, blackhead seabream Acanthopagrus schlegelii, dotted gizzard shad Konosirus punctatus, and jack mackerel Trachurus japonicus. Tongyeong was spawning ground of commercially valuable fishes. Occurrence data on fish eggs would contribute to study the spawning ecology of fish.s spawning ground, we collected fish eggs using underwater pump from March 2013 to August 2015 (10 times/day/2 weeks filtering volume, 10m3/hour/time filter mesh, 300 ㎛ depth, 3 m). Fish eggs were sorted into two groups, anchovy(Engraulis japonicus) and other eggs under a dissecting microscope. Partial COI mtDNA sequences from the other eggs were determined using next-generation sequencing. The massive nucleotide sequences were aligned to the COI reference database and classified to the species level. The pelagic fish eggs were identified as 49 species (including anchovy): commercial species such as red seabream Pagrus major, blackhead seabream Acanthopagrus schlegelii, dotted gizzard shad Konosirus punctatus, and jack mackerel Trachurus japonicus. Tongyeong was spawning ground of commercially valuable fishes. Occurrence data on fish eggs would contribute to study the spawning ecology of fish.