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Timing of First Annulus Formation in White Sucker Otoliths
Author(s) -
Beckman Daniel W.,
Calfee John W.
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
north american journal of fisheries management
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.587
H-Index - 72
eISSN - 1548-8675
pISSN - 0275-5947
DOI - 10.1080/02755947.2014.951809
Subject(s) - otolith , annulus (botany) , catostomus , sucker , population , geography , age structure , fishery , fish <actinopterygii> , biology , zoology , demography , botany , sociology
The purpose of this study was to document the time of formation for the first two otolith annuli for White Sucker Catostomus commersoni . Young‐of‐the‐year and age‐1 individuals were sampled monthly from a population in the White River drainage of the Missouri Ozarks. The formation of a single annual opaque region during the months of June–September of the first 2 years of life was documented using edge analysis, whereby the progression of otolith annulus formation is followed throughout the year in the population. The documentation that the first annulus was formed within the first 6 months following birth provides for more accurate and precise age estimations than previously available for this species. Received May 14, 2014; accepted July 23, 2014