The tub gurnard Chelidonichthys lucerna is a by-catch species with an emerging economic importance, requiring information for a sustainable management. Modal progression analysis, otolith reading, length-at-age back-calculation and the von Bertalanffy model were used to trace growth patterns of C. lucerna in the Mondego estuary (Portugal) during an annual cycle. All sampled gurnards (480 individuals, 4.7-31.8cm total length, 0-5 years old) were immature and had a stable Fulton's condition index (1.01±0.11), consistent with a nursery use of the area. Up to 5 false rings before the first winter ring appeared on 63% of the otoliths and were hypothesized to refer to ontogenic events and fluctuation in prey resources. Most juveniles entered the estuary in spring, when temperature and salinity increased, remained there for 1-2 years and migrated seawards in autumn/early winter. Older gurnards (2-5 years old) entered sporadically into Mondego, mainly in autumn and winter. During the estuarine period, length-weight relationship of the gurnards followed the equation W=0.0105*TL 2.98 (r 2 =0.9935) and growth can be described according to the following von Bertalanffy equation: ( ) ( ) 0 0.148 0.5007 51.40* 1 ' .
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
hi@scite.ai
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.