Zinc isotopes in muscle tissues as a novel niche tracer for elasmobranchs: a proof-of-concept study
Abstract
Stable zinc isotopes (δ 66 Zn) have recently emerged as promising ecological tracers, yet their application in elasmobranchs remains limited. Here, we evaluated the use of δ 66 Zn in elasmobranch muscle tissue in combination with traditional isotopes (δ 13 C and δ 15 N) to compare isotopic variability among three sympatric stingray species inhabiting a heterogeneous coastal system along the Brazilian coast. The analyses revealed species-specific δ 66 Zn patterns and differences in multitracer isotopic space among species. Hypanus guttatus exhibited broader isotopic variability than Hypanus marianae and Hypanus berthalutzae , which showed more constrained and partially overlapping isotopic patterns. Compared with δ 13 C and δ 15 N, δ 66 Zn exhibited partially distinct isotopic behaviour, suggesting sensitivity to a more complex combination of trophic, environmental, and physiological influences. This additional isotopic variability contributed complementary information to species discrimination. Overall, our results suggest that Zn isotopes in soft tissues represent a promising addition to multitracer isotopic approaches in marine predators.
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BibTeX
@article{queiroz2026zinc,
title = {{Zinc isotopes in muscle tissues as a novel niche tracer for elasmobranchs: a proof-of-concept study}},
author = {Aristóteles P.N. Queiroz and Hyeryeong Jeong and Jeremie Garnier and Kongtae Ra and Rosangela P.T. Lessa and Daniel Ferreira Araujo},
journal = {Marine Environmental Research},
year = {2026},
month = nov,
doi = {10.1016/j.marenvres.2026.108188},
url = {https://hal.science/hal-05854052v1},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Zinc isotopes in muscle tissues as a novel niche tracer for elasmobranchs: a proof-of-concept study
AU - Aristóteles P.N. Queiroz
AU - Hyeryeong Jeong
AU - Jeremie Garnier
AU - Kongtae Ra
AU - Rosangela P.T. Lessa
AU - Daniel Ferreira Araujo
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/11/05
JO - Marine Environmental Research
DO - 10.1016/j.marenvres.2026.108188
UR - https://hal.science/hal-05854052v1
AB - Stable zinc isotopes (δ 66 Zn) have recently emerged as promising ecological tracers, yet their application in elasmobranchs remains limited. Here, we evaluated the use of δ 66 Zn in elasmobranch muscle tissue in combination with traditional isotopes (δ 13 C and δ 15 N) to compare isotopic variability among three sympatric stingray species inhabiting a heterogeneous coastal system along the Brazilian coast. The analyses revealed species-specific δ 66 Zn patterns and differences in multitracer isotopic space among species. Hypanus guttatus exhibited broader isotopic variability than Hypanus marianae and Hypanus berthalutzae , which showed more constrained and partially overlapping isotopic patterns. Compared with δ 13 C and δ 15 N, δ 66 Zn exhibited partially distinct isotopic behaviour, suggesting sensitivity to a more complex combination of trophic, environmental, and physiological influences. This additional isotopic variability contributed complementary information to species discrimination. Overall, our results suggest that Zn isotopes in soft tissues represent a promising addition to multitracer isotopic approaches in marine predators.
SN - 0141-1136
SN - 1879-0291
ER -