Effects of Absorbable Suture Strand Diameter on Retention of External Radio Transmitters by Juvenile Lake Sturgeon

Abstract

We evaluated the effects of four absorbable suture strand diameters (numbers 3/0, 0, 1, and 2 [from smallest to largest diameter]) on the short-term retention of externally attached dummy radio transmitters by juvenile lake sturgeon Acipenser fulvescens (fork-length range, 257–293 mm; wet-weight range, 100–132 g). Four lake sturgeon were contained in each of 10 aquaria, and one fish in each tank was assigned to each of the four suture treatment groups. Transmitter retention was positively related to suture strand diameter, the mean retention duration for number 2 sutures being nearly twice as long (21 d) as that of number 3/0 sutures (11.8 d). The smallest suture (number 3/0) also exhibited the fewest number of days to transmitter loss (25% loss, 9 d; 50% loss, 11 d; and 75% loss, 14 d). In contrast, the largest suture (number 2) had the greatest number of days to transmitter loss (25% loss, 16 d; 50% loss, 21 d; and 75% loss, 26 d). Based on the diameter of sutures examined in this study, we recommend number 2 absorbable sutures for externally affixing radio transmitters to ensure adequate retention of short-term tags using this novel attachment approach for telemetry studies involving juvenile lake sturgeon.