Note on otolith growth in elvers, Anguilla anguilla (L.), and the relative otolith size during somatic growth

Abstract. Newly pigmented glass-eels were kept in a cold water quarantine, before being exposed to increased water temperature and weaned with cod roe and commercial dry feed. The otoliths started to grow before fish growth was observed. As a consequence, the relative otolith size increased. This in...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Kerstin Holmgren, Hdkan Wickström
Other Authors: The Pennsylvania State University CiteSeerX Archives
Format: Text
Language:English
Subjects:
Online Access:http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/summary?doi=10.1.1.1040.5090
http://www.infish.com.pl/wydawnictwo/Archives/Fasc/work_pdf/Vol20Fasc3/Vol20-Fasc3-%20w09.pdf
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Summary:Abstract. Newly pigmented glass-eels were kept in a cold water quarantine, before being exposed to increased water temperature and weaned with cod roe and commercial dry feed. The otoliths started to grow before fish growth was observed. As a consequence, the relative otolith size increased. This increase was higher at higher temperature. During the first period with significant eel growth, no further change in the otolith/fish size ratio was observed. Initially, the otolith size was not correlated to fish size, but a positive correlation occurred in growing elvers. The results are discussed with reference to variation in relative otolith size of larger eels. As otoliths have frequently been used in back-calculation of previous eel size, further studies on factors determining otolith growth are suggested.