Growth of sprat Sprattus sprattus larvae in the German Bight (North Sea) as inferred by otolith microstructure

Ré, Pedro; Gonçalves, Emanuel João

http://hdl.handle.net/10400.12/1505

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Authors

Ré, Pedro

Gonçalves, Emanuel João

Abstract(s)

Growth of sprat larvae was studied in the German Blght of the North Sea and 2 different statlons (stratlfled and mixed water masses) were compared. Sprat larvae were aged using dally growth increments in sagittal otoliths. The daily nature of otolith growth increments was corroborated using the marginal increment technique. The data presented are consistent with the deposition of one complete increment per 24 h period, indicating that at least larvae with lengths greater than 11.0 mm form daily growth increments in their otoliths. There was some evidence that daily growth increments are deposited on the otoliths of sprat larvae only after the onset of exogenous feeding. Integrated somatic growth rate was 0.406 mm d-'. This value is comparable to others obtained for similar pelaglc clupeoid species. There were no significant differences between growth rates at the 2 stations.