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Annulus formation by White Suckers and the Reliability of Pectoral Fin Rays for Ageing Them
Author(s) -
Quinn Stephen P.,
Ross Michael R.
Publication year - 1982
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 - 10.1577/1548-8659(1982)2<204:afbwsa>2.0.co;2
Subject(s) - fish fin , catostomus , fish <actinopterygii> , biology , pectoral muscle , juvenile , annulus (botany) , fin , anatomy , zoology , fishery , ecology , botany , materials science , composite material
Juvenile white suckers (Catostomus commersoni) normally developed distinguishable annuli earlier in the summer than did adult fish, probably because yearly somatic growth did not occur in older fish until after cessation of spawning activity. Although ageing by use of pectoral fin rays was more reliable than interpretation by scales, annuli often were not formed on pectoral fin rays of fish in the oldest age classes. Therefore, caution must be taken when assuming that pectoral fin rays properly reflect the true age of older white suckers.