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Age and growth of diadromous Galaxias maculatus (Jenyns, 1842) in southernmost South America (54° S) including contribution of age classes to reproduction

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Abstract

The population of Galaxias maculatus studied here, Arroyo Negro (54° S), is located at the southern extreme of the species distribution. This is the first work on growth and other life history traits of a Fueguian diadromous population based on otoliths study. This species is part of the native fish fauna of Patagonia. Furthermore, studies on the growth and reproduction of G. maculatus in South America mostly refer to freshwater populations of Andean-Patagonian lakes and rivers (about 41° S). Size cohorts were studied; age and growth parameters were estimated, the latter using the VBGM. Four size cohorts were established, and 3+ was determined as maximum age class. No differences were found in growth curves between males and females. The 1+ age class was by far not only the most numerous in the population but also the most represented in the reproductive population. The relation between mean TL and latitude was positive (r = 0.62) for South American populations; however, further studies are needed to determine whether it is this population’s life strategy, the local adaptation of a peripheral population or countergradient growth. The results are interpreted in the context of the information available for other populations, and provide important information about the plasticity in life history traits of this species.

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Acknowledgements

We thank Administración de Parques Nacionales, Sofía Siffo, Daniel Aureliano, Marcelo Gutiérrez, Sonia Rimbau and José Luis Pereira for their collaboration and María Isabel Ledesma for assistance with the translation of the manuscript. The comments of two anonymous reviewers improved the manuscript. This research was supported by: Administración de Parques Nacionales (Project N°1038, N° 032CPA), Ministerio de Ciencia, Tecnología e Innovación Productiva (PFIP 2009, N°2720/09), CONICET (P.I.P. 440) and Agencia Nacional de Promoción Científica y Tecnológica (PICT 2014, N°1804).

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  1. Centro Austral de Investigaciones Científicas (CADIC) – CONICET, Bernardo Houssay 200 (V9410BFD), Ushuaia, Argentina

    Javier H. Rojo & Claudia C. Boy

  2. Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas y Costeras (IIMyC) – CONICET, Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata, Rodríguez Peña 4046 (B7602GSD), Mar del Plata, Argentina

    Javier H. Rojo & Daniel E. Figueroa

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  1. Javier H. Rojo
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Rojo, J.H., Figueroa, D.E. & Boy, C.C. Age and growth of diadromous Galaxias maculatus (Jenyns, 1842) in southernmost South America (54° S) including contribution of age classes to reproduction. Environ Biol Fish 101, 1149–1160 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10641-018-0765-8

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