Age and Growth of the Cardinalfish Apogon lineatus in Tokyo Bay, Japan

Abstract

Age and growth of the cardinal fish Apogon lineatus in Tokyo Bay were estimated from right sagittal otoliths of 556 fish. Examination of the outer margins of the otoliths showed that the translucent zone was formed once a year, and can be used as an annulus, with its formation completed at the beginning of the spawning season. Growth of fish, expressed by the von Bertalanffy growth equation, was Lt = 86.6[1-exp {-1.12(t+0.01)}] for males, and Lt = 118.5[1-exp {-0.37(t+1.03)}] for females, where Lt is total length in mm and t is age in years. Growth of males and females differed. Females were larger than males at each estimated age. Most fish examined were ages 1 and 2, although the oldest fish were 3 years old for both sexes.