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Age, growth and reproduction of the sand smelt Atherina boyeri Risso, 1810 in Mellah Lagoon (Eastern Algeria)
Author(s) -
Boudinar A. S.,
Chaoui L.,
Kara M. H.
Publication year - 2016
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/jai.12992
Subject(s) - biology , sexual maturity , reproduction , reproductive season , sex ratio , reproductive biology , population , zoology , fishery , ecology , demography , embryo , sociology , embryogenesis
Summary This aim of this paper was the study of the reproductive biology and growth of the sand smelt, Atherina boyeri, in Mellah Lagoon (Algeria). These data are important for the sustainable exploitation of the stocks of this species. Examined was a total of 1402 Atherina boyeri specimens captured monthly from March 2010 to March 2011, in a population with a 3‐year life cycle. Length–weight relationship was estimated as W = 0.0047 L 3.077 ( r 2 = 0.935) for males and W = 0.0047 L 3.176 ( r 2 = 0.935) for females. Using scales, the von Bertalanffy growth function fitted to back‐calculated size‐at‐age data was Lt = 9.49 [1 − e −0.316 ( t + 0.928) ] for males, and Lt = 11.67 [1 − e −0.179 ( t + 1.514) ] for females; using otoliths this was Lt = 9.68 [1 − e −0.3 ( t + 1.02) ] for males, and Lt = 11.93 [1 − e −0.171 ( t + 1.55) ] for females. The growth performance index (Φ) indicated that males (Φ scales = 3.34, Φ otoliths = 3.33) grew at the same rate as females (Φ scales = 3.19, Φ otoliths = 3.24), with a sex ratio of 1 : 1.6 in favor of females. The reproductive season extended from February to June. Individual length at first sexual maturity was 4.20 cm for 1‐year‐old males and 4.35 cm for 1‐year‐old females.