Bufonidae - true toads: Buchan et al. (2005) [Abstract] tagged one individual of the species Bufo boreal and found that after 10 days, the tag was retained and was readable. However, two other researchers tagging Bufo viridis and Bufo bufo found that the tags were retained but unreadable in their studies. NMT stresses the importance of testing VI Alpha tags on the species of interest before beginning studies.
Caeciliidae - caecilians: Measey et al. (2001) [Abstract]
Hylidae - treefrogs: Buchan et al. (2005) [Abstract], Pittman (2008) [Abstract], Heard et al. (2008) [Abstract], Clemas et al. (2009) [Abstract], Kaiser et al. (2009) [Abstract], Meuche and Grafe (2009) [Abstract]
Pelobatidae - spadefoot toads: Buchan et al. (2005) [Abstract]
Plethodontidae – lungless salamanders: Spickler et al. (2006) [Abstract].
Ranidae – true frogs: Buchan et al. (2005) [Abstract], Chelgren et al. (2006) [Abstract], Chelgren et al. (2008) [Abstract].
Red-legged frog (Rana aurora): Northwest Marine Technology (biology@nmt.us) tags migrated but were not shed and were easily readable in ambient light.
Salamandridae – true salamanders: Buchan et al. (2005) [Abstract]
See also: Links to Amphibian tagging sites
Albulidae - bonefishes: no known trials; large area of transparent tissue surrounding the eye.
Amblyopsidae - cavefishes: Means and Johnson (1995) [Abstract], Brown and Johnson (2001) [Abstract].
Arripidae - Australian salmon: On 31 March 1996, G. W. Davidson, Department of Physiology and Anatomy, Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand, reported the following: 32 fish were tagged in the periocular tissue and held in marine aquarium. After one month, three of the fish shed tags, although one loss appeared due to invasion of an unrelated infection, and one appeared lost due to its shallow location. All remaining 29 tags remained visible. "Overall, the VI tags appear to be quite suitable for use with this species."
Carangidae - jacks: Successful results, at the Oceanic Institute, Hawaii, with VI Alpha in adipose eyelids of 135-165 mm fork length bluefin trevally Caranx melampygus.
Centrarchidae - sunfishes: Attempts by NMT to tag largemouth bass Micropterus salmoides have been unsuccessful in achieving a desirable level of long-term retention.
Chanidae - milkfishes: Emata and Marte (1992) [Abstract].
Cichlidae - cichlids: Park and Lee (2001) [Abstract]
Clupeidae - herrings: no known trials; large transparent adipose eyelids.
Cyprinidae - carps and minnows: Nigel McCarter, MAF Freshwater Fisheries Centre, P.O. Box 6016, Rotorua, New Zealand, reported on 27 April 1992, that tags ". . . injected into postocular tissue of adult grass and silver carp were quickly shed."
Elopidae - tenpounders: no known trials; large area of transparent tissue posterior to the eye.
Engraulidae - anchovies: no known trials; large transparent adipose eyelids.
Esocidae - pikes: Trials with tiger muskie, involving NMT, to implant tags into anal and dorsal fin membranes did not provide satisfactory long-term results.
Gadidae - cods: Olsen et al. (2004) [Abstract] showed that juvenile Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) can be successfully tagged with VI Alpha.
Galaxiidae - galaxiids: Crook and White (1995) [Abstract].
Gobiidae - gobies: Forrester (1995), Malone et al. (1999) [Abstract], Griffiths (2002) [Abstract], Forrester et al. (2006) [Abstract], Forrester and Finley (2006) [Abstract].
NMT has an informal report by P. Y. Ha (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 300 Ala Moana Blvd., Room 3108, P.O. Box 50088, Honolulu, HA 96850) and R. A. Kinzie, prepared in 1991: use of Visible Implant (VI) tags in field studies on the biology of a Hawaiian freshwater goby, Awous stamineus (Oopu nakea). The illustrated document describes the successful use of these tags by implanting them " . . . beneath the semi-transparent tissue in the left jaw of the fish or, sometimes, in the fleshy area of the cheek . . .".
Hexagrammidae - greenlings: Buckley et al. (1994) [Abstract].
Ictaluridae - North American catfishes: Buckmeier and Irwin (2000) [Abstract] found that 100% of VI Alpha tags implanted in the dorsal fin of channel catfish Ictalurus punctatus were shed. However, researchers with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources have developed a very successful method of implanting VI Alpha tags into the tongue of flathead catfish (Pylodictis olivaris). Please see our Spring 2000 newsletter (PDF 45K) for further details.
Kyphosidae - sea chubs: Griffiths (2002) [Abstract].
Mugildae - mullets: As noted above, adipose eyelid implants were quickly shed from striped mullet at the Oceanic Institute, Makapuu Point, Waimanalo, Hawaii 96795.
Percidae - perches: The Iowa Department of Natural Resources is using VI alpha tags to estimate abundance and survival rates of broodstock walleye in the Iowa Great Lakes (Larscheid 1995). In a 10 year study, retention of VI alpha tags in the mandible was estimated at 81%.
Pleuronectidae – righteye flounders: Andersen et al. (2005) [Abstract].
Polynemidae - threadfins: The Oceanic Institute, Hawaii, marked Pacific threadfin Polydactylus sexfillis with VI alpha in the adipose eyelid. Retention in larger threadfin (270-450 mm fork length) was 100% after 24 weeks, while retention in small threadfin was much lower (35% after 3 weeks).
Pomatomidae - bluefishes: No known trials; NMT examination of post orbital tissue indicates an abundance of clear tissue.
Salmonidae - trouts and salmons
Oncorhynchus - Haw et al. (1990) [Abstract], Blankenship and Tipping (1993) [Abstract], Mourning et al. (1994) [Abstract], Shepard et al. (1996) [Abstract], McMahon et al. (1996) [Abstract], Frenette and Bryant (1996) [Abstract], Tipping et al. (1995) [Abstract], Wenberg and George(1995) [Abstract]
Salmo - Kincaid and Calkins (1992) [Abstract], Niva (1995) [Abstract], Niva and Jokela (2000) [Abstract], Summers et al. (2006) [Abstract]
Salvelinus - Kincaid and Calkins (1992) [Abstract], Bryan and Ney (1994) [Abstract], Farooqi et al. (1995), McMahon et al. (1996) [Abstract], Frenette and Bryant (1996) [Abstract], Zerrenner et al. (1997) [Abstract], Rikardsen (2000) [Abstract], Hughes et al. 2000 [Abstract]
Thymallus - McMahon et al. (1996) [Abstract].
Scorpaenidae - scorpionfishes (rockfishes): Buckley et al. (1994) [Abstract].
