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A review on age, growth and maturity of white blooded icefish Chaenocephalus aceratus SSI, Champsocephalus gunnari ANI, and Pseudochaenichthys georgianus SGI from South Georgia based on otolith analyses
For safeguarding Antarctica's living resources at a time of a still growing global population, of intensive worldwide fisheries activities, of climate change and unabated pollution, it is important to possess basic information on the dominant species of icefish of the region. However, these species are difficult to obtain, and data published on them are often conflicting. By using daily increments of otoliths, we are in a position to provide age estimates that allow us to draw conclusions on the icefishes’ growth dynamics, distributions and migrations. The currently widely used growth equations underestimate icefish growth and we therefore combined them with exponent and periodic equations. The three species of icefish we focus on occur on the shelves of the Scotia Arc and to the east of the Antarctic Circumpolar Current Islands at depths of 50 to 500 m. The maximum ages were found to be 8 y for Champsocephalus gunnari, 7 y for Chaenocephalus aceratus and 6 y for Pseudochaenichthys georgianus. Adaptative evolution affected all three species. In Chaen. aceratus spending its life in the cold and calm bottom water, it led to a maximum attainable size of about 66 cm as well as lighter, less muscular bodies. On the other hand, the approximately 10 cm shorter Ps. georgianus evolved higher and more powerful bodies and a greater body mass for sustained swimming in cold and strong deep–water whirls. Individuals of Champ. gunnari as an adaptation to their preferred habitat of warm and fast surface currents, have the smallest, most elongated and streamlined bodies of all three species. The noted differences in body sizes and shapes are reflected in their respective differences of otolith dimension and physique. Mature females are generally larger than males, significantly so among those (Chaen. aceratus) living in deeper, colder waters; slightly for those (Champ. gunnari) in warmer surface waters. Females of Chaen. aceratus first mature at 61.5 cm length and 5.6 y of age and are then almost twice as big as the smallest mature Champ. gunnari individuals of both sexes. The three species of icefish exhibit adaptations to cold and warm periods, which is indicative of their potential to endure the climate upheavals. However, icefish depend on gas exchange through their skin, which exacerbates their sensitivity to impurities. The latter, leading to modifications of their otoliths’ composition and configuration, reflect the environmental conditions.