Morphological Discrimination between the Dorsal-fin Spines of the Blue Marlin Makaira nigricans: Reducing Biases in Age and Growth Estimations

Age determination and growth estimation of blue marlin (Makaira nigricans) were performed by combining method of otolith micro-increment counts of 27 young (17–185-cm lower jaw–fork length, LJFL) and sectioned dorsal fin spines of 571 adult individuals (155–352cm). Otolith micro-increments were counted with ages of 26–338 days old. The estimated mean length (185cm) at Year 1 and growth rate were used to predict the position of the first annual growth band in sectioned fin spines. Distinct growth bands were formed in fin spines annually between September and October. Indistinct growth bands were considered false-annual growth bands. The observed and back-calculated LJFLs at each age were highly variable for both sexes. Von Bertalanffy growth parameters were estimated using mean back-calculated LJFL data as: L∞=295cm, k=0.23, t0=–3.31 years for females and 212cm, 0.29, –4.49 years for males. Females grew to >200cm in 2 years and to >250cm in 5 years on average, whereas the growth of males slowed appreciably after they reached the age of 1 year. This is the first study of blue marlin growth for entire life stages.

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Age and growth of yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares) in the western equatorial Atlantic, using dorsal fin spines

Fisheries Research ◽

10.1016/j.fishres.2004.05.007 ◽

2004 ◽

Vol 69 (2) ◽

pp. 157-170 ◽

Cited By ~ 26

Author(s):

Rosangela Lessa ◽

Paulo Duarte-Neto

Keyword(s):

Yellowfin Tuna ◽

Age And Growth ◽

Thunnus Albacares ◽

Equatorial Atlantic ◽

Dorsal Fin ◽

Fin Spines

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A new subspecies of Capros longispinatus from the basal Upper Oligocene of the Caucasus (Teleostei: Perciformes: Caproidae)

Zoosystematica Rossica ◽

10.31610/zsr/2004.13.1.117 ◽

2004 ◽

Vol 13 (1) ◽

pp. 117-119

Author(s):

A.M. Prokofiev

Keyword(s):

Basal Part ◽

The Caucasus ◽

New Subspecies ◽

Dorsal Fin ◽

Upper Oligocene ◽

Fin Spines

Capros longispinatus kelasuriensis subsp. n. is described from the Upper Subhorizon of Morozkina Balka (basal part of the Upper Oligocene) of Abkhazia. It precedes stratigraphically the nominotypical subspecies and differs from the latter chiefly in the much shorter dorsal-fin spines.

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Potential use of anal fin spines for assessing age and growth of longbill spearfish, Tetrapturus pfluegeri, in the western Atlantic Ocean

Bulletin of Marine Science ◽

10.5343/bms.2015.1043 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 92 (4) ◽

pp. 385-398 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Maite Pons ◽

Freddy Arocha ◽

Andrés Domingo ◽

David J Die ◽

Alejandro Brazeiro ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Atlantic Ocean ◽

Age And Growth ◽

Western Atlantic ◽

Western Atlantic Ocean ◽

Potential Use ◽

Fin Spines

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Stiffness and Damping Forces in the Intervertebral Joints of Blue Marlin (Makaira Nigricans)

Journal of Experimental Biology ◽

10.1242/jeb.162.1.131 ◽

1992 ◽

Vol 162 (1) ◽

pp. 131-155 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

JOHN H. LONG

Keyword(s):

Regional Variation ◽

Vertebral Column ◽

Damping Coefficient ◽

Complete Cycle ◽

Blue Marlin ◽

Makaira Nigricans ◽

External Moment ◽

Order Of Magnitude ◽

Dynamic Bending ◽

Stiffness And Damping

The stiffness and damping moments that are transmitted by intervertebral joints during sinusoidal bending were determined in the blue marlin, Makaira nigricans Lacépède. Using a dynamic bending machine, the angular stiffness (N m rad−1) and damping coefficient (kg m2 rad−2 s−1) of the intervertebral joints were measured over a range of bending frequencies, amplitudes and positions along the backbone. Angular stiffness increases with increasing bending amplitude, but, for some joints, the rate at which it changes with increasing bending frequency is negative. The precaudal intervertebral joints are less stiff than the caudal joints. The damping coefficient, which also shows regional variation, does not change with amplitude but does decrease with increasing bending frequency in joint positions three and five. Stiffness moments along the vertebral column, given the same amount of bending at each joint, are always greater than the damping moments. However, damping moments increase by an order of magnitude with an increase in bending frequency from 0.5 to 5.0Hz. The stiffness and damping moments determine the work that an external moment, such as muscle, must do over a complete cycle of bending. The external moments and work needed to bend an intervertebral joint are determined largely by the stiffness moments of the intervertebral joints.

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The larval, juvenile, and adult stages of the Caribbean goby, Coryphopterus kuna (Teleostei: Gobiidae): a reef fish with a pelagic larval duration longer than the post-settlement lifespan

Zootaxa ◽

10.11646/zootaxa.2346.1.5 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 2346 (1) ◽

pp. 53-61

Author(s):

BENJAMIN C. VICTOR ◽

LOURDES VASQUEZ-YEOMANS ◽

MARTHA VALDEZ-MORENO ◽

LESLIE WILK ◽

DAVID L. JONES ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Pelagic Larval Duration ◽

Age And Growth ◽

Quintana Roo ◽

Larval Duration ◽

Western Atlantic ◽

Dorsal Fin ◽

Pelagic Larvae ◽

The Caribbean ◽

Southern Florida ◽

San Andres

Additional larval, juvenile, and adult specimens and live photographs of the Caribbean Kuna Goby, Coryphopterus kuna, expand the known geographic range for the species and allow a comprehensive description of all the life stages for this recently-discovered species, including age and growth estimates from daily otolith increments. The Kuna Goby is found widely throughout the tropical western Atlantic, including southern Florida, Quintana Roo on the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico, Belize, Honduras, Panama, San Andres Island, Bonaire, and Guadeloupe. The additional specimens indicate that C. kuna has a pelvic frenum and that females have a black flag on the outer portion of the first two spinous dorsal-fin membranes, while males have a dark stripe along the mid-length of the spinous dorsal fin. The development of melanophores on pelagic larvae through the transition to settled juvenile is described. The Kuna Goby is a notably small goby: larvae settle around 7–9 mm SL, adults mature at 10–11 mm SL and then only attain about 17 mm SL. Kuna Gobies settle after a 60-day pelagic larval life, and mature rapidly. They are reproductive in as few as three weeks and live for about two months after settlement. This is the first reported fish in which the pelagic larval duration is generally longer than the post-settlement lifespan.

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Description of a new scorpionfish (Scorpaenoidei, Sebastolobinae) from the tropical eastern Pacific

Zootaxa ◽

10.11646/zootaxa.2277.1.5 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 2277 (1) ◽

pp. 61-68 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

PHILIPPE BÉAREZ ◽

HIROYUKI MOTOMURA

Keyword(s):

Eastern Pacific ◽

Dorsal Spine ◽

Unique Combination ◽

Single Specimen ◽

Tropical Eastern Pacific ◽

Diagnostic Characters ◽

Dorsal Fin ◽

Gas Bladder ◽

Fin Spines

A new spiny scorpionfish, Trachyscorpia verai, is described from a single specimen caught by deepwater longline off Puerto López (Ecuador, Tropical Eastern Pacific). This scorpionfish is distinguished from all other species of Trachyscorpia by a unique combination of characters: dorsal-fin spines 12, vertebrae 26, and gas bladder absent. Other diagnostic characters are: maxilla unscaled, third dorsal spine long, and pelvic spine short. This is the second species of Trachyscorpia known from the TEP and the sixth worldwide.

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Dario urops, a new species of badid fish from the Western Ghats, southern India (Teleostei: Percomorpha: Badidae)

Zootaxa ◽

10.11646/zootaxa.3348.1.5 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 3348 (1) ◽

pp. 63 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

RALF BRITZ ◽

ANVAR ALI ◽

SIBY PHILIP

Keyword(s):

New Species ◽

Western Ghats ◽

Southern India ◽

Caudal Peduncle ◽

Small Stream ◽

Dorsal Fin ◽

Anterior Dorsal ◽

The Western Ghats ◽

A New Species ◽

Fin Spines

Dario urops, new species, is described from a small stream of the Barapole tributary of Valapattanam River in southern Karna-taka and from Wayanad District, Kerala. It can be distinguished from its congeners by the presence of a conspicuous blackblotch on the caudal peduncle and a horizontal suborbital stripe, by the anterior dorsal fin lappets in males not being produced beyond fin spines, and by its vertebral count.

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