Abstract
This study tested the suitability of several staining methods to determine the age of common stingray (Dasyatis pastinaca) from Iskenderun Bay, Turkey. A total of 384 specimens (16.6 cm–69.3 cm disc width) were obtained by trawling between September 2010 and December 2011. Sex ratio of the samples was 53% males and 47% females. Appropriate age determination was firstly demonstrated using Safranin-O staining. Age readings were made by two independent readers and the index of average percent error (IAPE) determined as 6.3% for Safranin-O, 6.8% for Crystal Violet, 7.9% for Alcian Blue, and 9.3% for Silver Nitrate. Safranin-O and Crystal Violet staining methods provided the best results. Verification of temporal growth ring formation was by marginal increment analysis. Disc width–weight relationships were determined by W = 0.0272*DW3.06 for females and W = 0.0247*DW3.08 for males. Estimates of the von Bertalanffy growth parameters indicated a larger asymptotic disc width (DW∞ = 127.06 cm) for females than for males (DW∞ = 114.54 cm); growth parameters were k = 0.058 year−1, to = −1.508 and k = 0.041 year−1, to = −3.632 for females and males, respectively.
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