Evaluation of otoliths Salt Creek pupfish (Cyprinodon salinus salinus) for use in analyses of age and growth

Southwestern Naturalist
By: , and 

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Abstract

We collected Salt Creek pupfish (Cyprinodon salinus salinus) from Salt Creek, Death Valley, California, in November 2009 and May 2010. The purpose of our study was to determine whether otoliths displayed interpretable marks that might be used for estimating age and growth. Otoliths exhibited alternating bands of opaque and translucent material. Kendall rank correlation between number of bands on otoliths and length of fish were high for two readers (τ = 0.65 and 0.79) and exact agreement between readers was 51%. Otoliths exhibited 0–5 bands, which provided evidence that longevity of Salt Creek pupfish likely is >1 year. Total length of fish collected in spring and autumn differed for fish with one and three bands on otoliths.

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Publication type Article
Publication Subtype Journal Article
Title Evaluation of otoliths Salt Creek pupfish (Cyprinodon salinus salinus) for use in analyses of age and growth
Series title Southwestern Naturalist
DOI 10.1894/0038-4909-57.4.412
Volume 57
Issue 4
Year Published 2012
Language English
Publisher Southwestern Association of Naturalists
Publisher location http://www.biosurvey.ou.edu/swan/
Contributing office(s) Idaho Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit
Description 5 p.
Larger Work Type Article
Larger Work Subtype Journal Article
Larger Work Title Southwestern Naturalist
First page 412
Last page 416
Country United States
State California
Other Geospatial Death Valley;Salt Creek
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