Age and Growth of the Striped Searobin

Abstract

Age, rate ooe growth, spawning, and weight-length relationship of the striped searobin, Prionot•s evolans, were studied. The fish were collected from Chesapeake Bight and Chesapeake Bay during 1966 and 1967. Age was determined from otoliths which had been cross-sectioned, polished, and heated. Age groups 0 to VII were represented in the sample of 803 specimens. Males and females had the same growth rate and weight-length relationship. Growth in length was rapid until the fish reached maturity at age II. Age group II averaged 221 mm fork length.The fish accomplished most annual growth between May and September. Spawning occurred from May through the first part of July.

Tracing the life history of red gurnard (Aspitrigla cuculus ) using validated otolith annual rings

“…The marginal increment analysis showed that one opaque and one translucent zone is formed each year, the translucent ring corresponding to the period of slow growth from October to May. A similar pattern in otolith formation was found for the red gurnard in the Aegean Sea (Papaconstantinou 1983b), and was also common among other gurnard species (McEachran and Davis 1970; Staples 1971; Papaconstantinou 1981, 1982). However, the observed seasonal changes in the otolith margin composition cannot be related to seasonal fluctuations in water features.…”

“…Red gurnard females appeared to grow faster over the second year of life than males. Growth rate decreased rapidly after this age, as in other gurnard species (Elder 1976;Papaconstantinou 1983b;Booth 1997;Colloca et al 1997), the result of the shift from somatic to reproductive growth (McEachran and Davis 1970;Elder 1976;Papaconstantinou 1982Papaconstantinou , 1983bPapaconstantinou , 1984Schmitter-Soto and Castro-Aguirre 1991;Colloca et al 1994;Booth 1997). Moreover, a rapid change in feeding strategy of Mediterranean gurnard species generally coincides with the size of first maturity (Colloca et al 1994).…”

“…Growth rate decreased rapidly after this age, as in other gurnard species (Elder 1976; Papaconstantinou 1983b; Booth 1997; Colloca et al. 1997), the result of the shift from somatic to reproductive growth (McEachran and Davis 1970; Elder 1976; Papaconstantinou 1982, 1983b, 1984; Schmitter‐Soto and Castro‐Aguirre 1991; Colloca et al. 1994; Booth 1997).…”

On the life history of the lesser gurnard (Scorpaeniformes: Triglidae) inhabiting the Agulhas Bank, South Africa

“…Despite differences in ageing methodology, an overview of growth patterns in triglids reveals that fast growth and longevity are common triglid characteristics with many species reaching at least 50% of their maximum size before sexual maturation (McEachran & Davis, 1970;Elder, 1976;Hecht, 1977;Papaconstantinou, 1982Papaconstantinou, , 1983Papaconstantinou, , 1984. Growth in the lesser gurnard was rapid with c. 60% of the maximum size attained before sexual maturity which occurred at the end of the first year of life.…”

“…Protracted spawning is also common in C. kumu with some level of spawning occurring throughout the year peaking in late spring and early summer (Elder, 1976;Clearwater & Pankhurst, 1994) and both Trigla lyra and C. capensis off Namibia (Trunov & Malevanyy, 1974). The North American triglid Prionotus evolans (L.) (McEachran & Davis, 1970) and the Mediterranean species Eutrigla gurnardus (L.) (Papaconstantinou, 1982) and Trigla lucerna L. (Papaconstantinou, 1984) exhibit a seasonal spawning pattern over the warmer spring-summer period. Non-seasonal spawning with an increase in activity over spring and autumn was common in insular lutjanid populations inhabiting areas with low amplitude oceanographic cycles (Grimes, 1987) with spawning seasonality appearing to be correlated to production and food availability.…”