Growth of the silverside Atherinella brasiliensis in a subtropical estuary with some insights concerning the weight-length relationship.

Barbara M De Carvalho,Nelson F Fontoura,José Ricardo S Barradas,Henry L Spach

doi:10.1590/0001-3765201720160784

Abstract

Specimens of Brazilian silverside (Atherinella brasiliensis, n=9672) with a length range of 1.5 to 14.2 cm were captured in the intertidal areas of the Estuarine Complex of Paranaguá, Brazil, between August 2010 and July 2011. The species' weight-length relationship was represented by the equation W=0.00533 L3.136 with a slightly positive allometry (b>3) and could be divided into two growth stanzas: W = W1 + W2; Stanza 1: W1= SW. (0.005239 L3.152); Stanza 2: W2= (1 - SW). (0.000699 L3.913); Switch-Function: SW = [1 + e1.204 (L - 11.66)]-1. The breakpoint between the first and second stanza (11.66 cm) matches published values for the estimated size at first maturity of adult females. Frequency distributions indicate that the species is present in the shallow areas of the Estuarine Complex of Paranaguá during all phases of its ontogenetic development, with the recruitment of juveniles taking place between October and November. Modal displacement was monitored throughout 12 months. The von Bertalanffy growth model and longevity was estimated as follow: asymptotic length (L∞) of 17.5 cm, growth coefficient (K) of 0.89 (year-1) and longevity (A95) of 3.33 years. We present some considerations with regard to the general methodology for adjusting weight-length relationships.

Highlights

Fish growth patterns are influenced by counteracting driving forces, such as food availability, environmental factors and species requirements during the fish life cycle, e.g. for reproduction, migration or territory defense
The family of Atherinopsidae comprises 13 genera and 104 species of marine, estuarine and freshwater fish, 14 of which occur in Brazil: Atherina lessoni, Atherinella blackburni, A. brasiliensis, Odontesthes argentinensis, O. bicudo, O. bonariensis, O. incisa, O. humensis, O. ledae, O. perugiae, O. piquava, O. mirinensis, O. retropinnis and Pseudothyrina iheringi (Froese and Pauly 2017)
In the present study we describe the weightlength relationship and growth patterns of A. brasiliensis within the Estuarine Complex of Paranaguá (Paraná, Brazil), aiming to identify possible latitudinal trends of the species along the Brazilian coast

Summary

Introduction

Fish growth patterns are influenced by counteracting driving forces, such as food availability, environmental factors and species requirements during the fish life cycle, e.g. for reproduction, migration or territory defense. Species with a wide geographical range are likely to have latitudinal growth patterns, with increasing final size and decreasing growth rates in higher latitudes (Taylor 1958, 1959, 1960, 1962, Pauly 1980, Fontoura and Agostinho 1996, Giacomini and Shuter 2013, Peck et al 2013). Atherinella brasiliensis is common in estuarine areas, and occurs in coastal waters (HostimSilva et al 1995, Pessanha and Araújo 2001, Neves et al 2006, Fávaro et al 2007). Concerning parameters of the von Bertalanffy growth curve, asymptotic lengths are estimated between 11.3 and 17 cm and the growth constant ranging between 0.82-0.89 (year1); resulting in longevity estimates of slightly more than three years (Paiva-Filho and Giannini 1990, Haimovici and Velasco 2000, Pessanha and Araújo 2001, Giarrizzo et al 2006, Macieira and Joyeux 2008, Mazzei et al 2011, Freire et al 2012, Costa et al 2013, Franco et al 2013)

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