Electrophoretic Identification of Sebastes and Helicolenus in the Northwestern Atlantic

Abstract

An electrophoretic survey of 16 enzymes was conducted on representatives of the genera Helicolenus sp. and Sebastes spp. The survey was designed to develop an identification scheme for the commercially exploited species, because in the absence of any detailed description of their geographic distribution in the Scotian Shelf, they are currently managed as a single unit. Twelve enzymes were diagnostic for H. dactylopterus, three were diagnostic for S. fasciatus, while on the basis of the mobility of the most common allele none of the enzymes examined could distinguish between S. mentella and S. marinus. A protocol for the identification of S. fasciatus is thus presented, which incorporates the results of this survey. It is also suitable to describe the geographic distribution of commercially important species. The electrophoretic identification of the Sebastes species allowed fish with intermediate meristic characters, such as the number of anal fin rays, to be unequivocally identified. It was concluded that generic separation of Helicolenus and Sebastes is warranted, that S. fasciatus is distinct from S. marinus and S. mentella, but that individuals of S. marinus and S. mentella cannot be differentiated electrophoretically.