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Some biological parameters of the Mediterranean sand smelt Atherina ( Atherina ) hepsetus , Linnaeus, 1758 (Pisces: Atherinidae) from the middle eastern Adriatic (Croatian coast)
Author(s) -
Pallaoro A.,
Dulčić J.,
Jardas I.,
Kraljević M.
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
journal of applied ichthyology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.392
H-Index - 62
eISSN - 1439-0426
pISSN - 0175-8659
DOI - 10.1111/j.1439-0426.2006.00808.x
Subject(s) - biology , sex ratio , zoology , allometry , fishery , body weight , croatian , veterinary medicine , ecology , demography , population , linguistics , philosophy , medicine , sociology , endocrinology
Summary Data on the length–weight relationship, age, growth, sex ratio and mortality were analysed for the Mediterranean sand smelt, Atherina ( Atherina ) hepsetus L. (total = 2805; males = 1258; females = 1547) collected in the eastern middle Adriatic island area during the reproductive period (February to April) in 2002. The total length of sampled specimens ranged from 3.8 to 14.5 cm and the weight from 0.28 to 22.39 g. The overall sex ratio was 1.23 : 1 in favour of females, significantly different from the expected 1 : 1 ratio ( χ 2 = 29.76; P < 0.05). All individuals >13.4 cm were females. The oldest collected male and female specimens were 5 years old. The von Bertalanffy growth formula was estimated for females ( L ∞ = 15.79 (1−e −0.43( t +0.049) ) and males ( L ∞ = 15.25 (1−e −0.43( t +0.018) ). The power values ( b ) of the length–weight relationship were very similar for both sexes ( b = 3.14) and indicated a slightly allometric growth. The instantaneous rates of mortality for all collected fish were Z = 1.44 year −1 ; M = 0.94 year −1 and F = 0.50 year −1 . The exploitation ratio was E = F / Z = 0.35. The value for M is highly uncertain, however, as well as those values for F and E .