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Age determination of corvina reina ( Cynoscion albus ) in the Gulf of Nicoya, Costa Rica, based on examination and analysis of hyaline zones, morphology and microstructure of otoliths
Author(s) -
MugVillanueva M.,
Gallucci V. F.,
Lai HanLin
Publication year - 1994
Publication title -
journal of fish biology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.672
H-Index - 115
eISSN - 1095-8649
pISSN - 0022-1112
DOI - 10.1111/j.1095-8649.1994.tb01299.x
Subject(s) - otolith , biology , morphometrics , fishery , stock assessment , fish <actinopterygii> , fishing
This is the first age determination study for Cynoscion albus , a large tropical sciaenid, using otolith morphology and daily increment analysis. The practicality of both methods for age determination is illustrated by their consistent estimates of age and von Bertalanffy growth parameters. The daily increment analysis was used to validate the surface readings. An alternative, otolith morphometrics, is shown to hold promise for rapid prediction of fish age. Two multivariate linear regression models using gross otolith dimensions can estimate the age of C. albus to within 1 year. Growth parameter estimates are: from surface readings: L =127.5cm with K =0.12; from daily increment readings: L = 122.1 cm with K =0.17. Implications for the stock assessment of tropical fish using size instead of age are discussed.