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Limits of incremental growth in seasonality studies: The example of the clariid pectoral spines from the Byzantino‐Islamic site of Apamea (Syria; sixth to seventh century AD)
Author(s) -
Van Neer Wim
Publication year - 1993
Publication title -
international journal of osteoarchaeology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.738
H-Index - 60
eISSN - 1099-1212
pISSN - 1047-482X
DOI - 10.1002/oa.1390030209
Subject(s) - catfish , seasonality , fish <actinopterygii> , clarias gariepinus , floodplain , geography , period (music) , biology , fishery , ecology , physics , acoustics
An evaluation is given of the value for seasonality studies of incremental growth in the pectoral spines of the Nile catfish Clarias gariepinus . The subfossil spines used for this study are from a Byzantino‐Islamic site in Syria, and probably all derive from animals captured on the floodplain during the yearly inundation of the nearby Orontes river, although only 45 per cent of the spines could be recognized as deriving from fish captured during that period. It is believed that the inability to date accurately the season of capture of the other specimens is due to disadvantages inherent in the growth cycle of the fish. For the moment it is possible to determine the season of death only of individuals that were taken during a period of rapid growth.