Habitat segregation of Gerres japonicus and G. limbatus in early stages in the Tien Yen estuary, Northern Vietnam

Thanh Trung Tran; Hau Duc Tran; Nam Hoang Chu; Thuy Thi Ta

doi:10.15625/2615-9023/v40n4.13532

Author affiliations

Authors

Thanh Trung Tran VNU University of Science, 334 Nguyen Trai, Thanh Xuan, Hanoi https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2995-6754
Hau Duc Tran Hanoi National University of Education, 136 Xuan Thuy, Cau Giay, Hanoi
Nam Hoang Chu Hanoi National University of Education, 136 Xuan Thuy, Cau Giay, Hanoi
Thuy Thi Ta Hanoi Metropolitan University, 98 Duong Quang Ham, Cau Giay, Hanoi

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.15625/2615-9023/v40n4.13532

Keywords:

Gerres, Northern Vietnamese estuary, Nursery ground, Salinity, Spatio-temporal occurrence.

Abstract

Silver-biddy (Gerreidae: Gerres) are commercially important euryhaline fishes in coastal waters; however, information about their distribution during early stages in estuarine environments is poorly known. The present study aims to elucidate the habitat utilization of two species of the family, Gerres japonicus and G. limbatus as larvae and juveniles based on monthly collections from 2013 to 2015 in the Tien Yen estuary, northern Vietnam. They occurred from April to June for G. japonicus and in April and May for G. limbatus with a peak in May for both the species. Both G. japonicus and G. limbatus used the Tien Yen estuary as a nursery ground; however, the former species that colonized the shallows along the banks of the estuary extended to near freshwater habitat, whereas the latter was found at the end of the upper reach and the middle reach. The difference habitat use between the two species in the early life history may be related to their specific salinity preference as G. japonicus prefer lower salinities than G. limbatus.