Growth and age of staghorn sculpins of the genus <Emphasis Type="Italic">Gymnocanthus</Emphasis> (Cottidae) in Peter the Great Bay and adjacent waters of Primorye (Sea of Japan) |
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Authors: | V V Panchenko |
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Institution: | 1.Pacific Fisheries Research Center (TINRO-Center),Vladivostok,Russia |
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Abstract: | Age and growth have been studied in four species of staghorn sculpins of the genus Gymnocanthus inhabiting Primorye (the Russian sector of the Sea of Japan). Large black edged and purplegray sculpins, G. herzensteini and G. detrisus, inhabited deeper waters compared with threaded sculpin G. pistilliger and (especially) whip sculpin G. intermedius. The size differences between different sculpin species could already be revealed in the diameter of mature oocytes and the
length of hatching larvae and fries passing to the benthic phase of development. The maximum size in these species correlated
with their maximum age. G. herzensteini, G. detrisus, G. pistilliger, and G. intermedius could attain the age of no less than 16+, 15+, 9+, and 7+, respectively. The gains in fish of the same age were also greater
in species attaining greater size values. In all the species, females lived longer than males and were larger than males of
the same age. Throughout the life cycle, the growth rate gradually came down; the decrease was especially pronounced during
the period of sexual maturation. In the southern part of the geographic range, the specimens of purplegray sculpin attained
smaller size and showed lower growth rate compared with the fish from the northern part of the range. The threaded sculpin
demonstrated the inverse relationships. In general, females were dominating in samples of staghorn sculpins; however in small
and medium size groups, the proportion of males was greater, which was due to their smaller, compared with females, absolute
gains. In elder groups, the proportion of males gradually went down, as they were dying earlier than females. |
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