Discrimination of the northeast Atlantic lesser sandeels, ammodytes marinus, ammodytes tobianus and gymnammodytes semisquamatus by protein electrophoresis

The northeast Atlantic lesser sandeels Ammodytes marinus Raitt, Ammodytes tobianus L. and Gymnammodytes semisquamatus Jourdain were screened by starch gel electrophoresis for species-specific enzyme variation. Morphological separation of the genera is reliable but distinguishing the two Ammodytes species is problematic, particularly in smaller specimens. The analysis revealed a number of diagnostic isozymes. Two, MEP-1 and MEP-2, appear particularly suitable for discriminating the three species. These isozymes show no intraspecific variation, can be typed using muscle, are relatively stable in frozen tissue, and can be resolved using a single gel and histochemical stain. The use of these diagnostic isozymes will facilitate species discrimination in fisheries assessment work and in studies of the ecological differences among the species.