FAO FISHERIES TECHNICAL PAPER 322
![]() | Determination of growth in bony fishes from otolith microstructure |
CONTENTS |
by
Beatriz Morales-Nin
Institut d'Estudis Avançats de les Illes Balears
Palma de Mallorca, Spain
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M-42
ISBN 92-5-103115-0
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PREPARATION OF THIS PAPER
This paper is a product of the André Mayer research fellowship “Ageing Fish Through Otolith Microstructure”, awarded to the author from February 1987 to May 1988. In the course of the fellowship, in addition to other original research work, Dr Beatriz Morales-Nin prepared a first draft of this manual, which was later finalized for publication by FAO. The subject, though of interest to all scientists working on fish growth and ageing, is thought to be especially useful to those working with tropical species, where the traditional methods based on the interpretation of annual growth rings are particularly hard to apply.
The author wishes to express her appreciation to all those who made the successful outcome of the fellowship possible, particularly Dr R.L. Radtke of the University of Hawaii (Honolulu, USA), for the use of his laboratory during the fellowship, to Dr Pauly of ICLARM (Manila, Philippines), to Dr E.B. Brothers (EFS Consultants, Ithaca, USA), to Drs S. Ralston and J. Uchiyama of the NMFS (Honolulu, USA) for their help with various aspects of the research. Dr J. Csirke of FAO is warmly thanked for his support and advice and for his revision of the text.
Messrs. J.M. Fortuño and J. Biosca of the Barcelona Instituto de Ciencias del Mar (ICM) deserve special acknowledgement for helping with the scanning electron microscope and for processing the photographs, respectively. Mr J. Jansá of the Spanish Institute of Oceanography designed the cover from an idea of the author. Ms Lola Oñate and Maria Cruz Iglesias typed the text. Figures 1 and 2 were prepared by Dr A. Lombarte and Figure 3 was contributed by Dr I. Palomera (ICM, Barcelona).
Distribution:
FAO Fisheries Department
FAO Regional Fisheries Officers
Marine Directors
Marine Sciences
Last but not least the author wishes to thank her husband, José, her children Miguel, Elena and Beatriz and her sister Rosa Maria for their support throughout the fellowship period and during the preparation of this paper.
The bibliographic references are published as presented by the author.
Morales-Nin, B. ABSTRACT Fish ageing methods based on growth increments in otoliths are described in detail. A short introduction describes otolith extraction, preparation and viewing techniques, emphasizing the study of microscopic daily growth increments. Light and scanning electron microscope viewing methods and criteria for interpretation are described. The need to test the findings is explained and age validation techniques described. |
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3.1 Otolith selection and removal
3.2 Otolith storage and preservation
3.3 Removal and storage of larval otoliths
4.3 Preparing otoliths for light microscopy
4.4 Preparing otoliths for reading with the scanning electron microscope
5.1 Viewing increments with the light microscope
5.2 Viewing increments with the scanning electron microscope
5.3 Ageing through analysis of increment microstructure
5.4 Ageing based on increment thickness
a) Rearing and sequential sacrifice
b) Marking otoliths
a) Assigning a birthday
b) Growth patterns in otoliths
c) Synchronous increment formation
d) Progression of the median age
e) Comparison of average lengths
7 ESTIMATING GROWTH BY LENGTH-FREQUENCY ANALYSIS
7.1 Joint application of age data and length-frequency
8 OTHER GROWTH DETERMINATION METHODS