Gillanders: Trace metals in four structures of fish and their use for estimates of stock structure 
415 
0.25 
0 22 
0.19 
0.16 
0.13 
Juveniles 
-J I I L_ 
i.5 r 
io - 
0 5 - 
0.0 
Adults 
Eye lenses 
{hJ.' >-f- 
0.10 L 
1,500 1,700 1,900 2,100 2,300 2,500 2,400 2,800 3,200 3,600 
3,500 r 
“ 2,500 
CO 
cn 1,500 
500 
1,500 r 
1,300 - 
1,100 
■i 4- j i 
j 
-I I I I I 
900 
Scales 
1,500 1,700 1,900 2,100 2,300 2,500 2,400 2,800 3,200 3,600 
900 r 1,400 r 
Spines 
800 
700 
600 
1,200 
1,000 
800 
1,500 1,700 1,900 2,100 2,300 2,500 2,400 2,800 3,200 3,600 
pg Sr / g otolith 
Figure 3 
Relation between concentration of strontium in otoliths (mean ±SE) and in eye 
lenses, scales, and spines of juvenile and adult fish (mean ±SE) collected from ten 
locations along the coast of New South Wales. 
for both otoliths and eye lenses (either both significant or 
both nonsignificant), then the two structures were viewed 
as being similar. With this approach, approximately 73% 
(11/15) of pair-wise comparisons showed agreement (Dove 
and Kingsford, 1998). Their approach is, however, indirect 
and does not show evidence of correlation between data 
matrices for otoliths and those for eye lenses. I am aware 
of no other studies that have compared multiple struc- 
tures for fish obtained from a number of locations. 
Otoliths have been considered the structure of choice for 
determining elemental fingerprints and for relating these 
to movements or stock structure of fish because otoliths 
grow throughout the life of the fish and the material of the 
annual growth increment, once deposited, is unlikely to be 
resorbed or altered (Campana and Neilson, 1985). Otoliths 
therefore have the potential to record endogenous and ex- 
ogenous factors permanently within their calcium-protein 
matrix. Other structures may also grow throughout the 
life of the fish (e.g. eye lenses — Dove, 1997; scales — Mitani, 
1955; spines — Hill et al., 1989). Although other structures 
have been used for chemical analyses and for aging fish, 
some structures are susceptible to resorption and remin- 
