Variation in scales sampled from different body areas of adult pink salmon / by H.T. Bilton.: Fs97-6/1360E-PDF

"Scales were removed from 18 body areas from each of 12 Bella Coola and 10 Kodiak, Alaska adult pink salmon (Oncorhynchus gorbuscha). One scale from each of the body areas was examined microscopically. The width of the first ocean zone was measured and the number of curculi in the zone was counted. The average first ocean zone width and number of circulion scales from each body area were computed. For one of the Bella Coola pink salmon an outline drawing was made of each of the projected images of the scales from each body area. The results indicated considerable variations both in first ocean width and circulus number among scales from the various body areas. Scales from just above the lateral line between the origin of the dorsal fin and the origin of the adipose fin, exhibited both the greatest width and the highest and quite similar numbers of circuli in the first ocean zone. Scales from areas below and above the lateral line and anterior to the origin of the dorsal fin had in most cases markedly fewer circuli, and considerably narrower first ocean zones. There was considerable variation in the shapes of scales from the different body areas. Because of the distinctive shape of scales from the different body areas it may be possible to develop a "scale map" that could be used by a scale reader to determine the body area of the fish from which scales had been removed. Results of this study point out the need for further studies of this kind, not only for pink salmon, but for the other four species of Pacific salmon and for steelhead trout as well"--Abstract, page iii.

Permanent link to this Catalogue record:
publications.gc.ca/pub?id=9.949268&sl=0

• MARC XML format
• MARC HTML format

Request alternate formats