New Zealand Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research abstracts

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Similarities in fine structure of annual, and non-annual, check rings in the otolith of the New Zealand snapper (Chrysophrys auratus)

R. W. GAULDIE

Fisheries Research Centre
Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries
P.O. Box 297, Wellington, New Zealand

Abstract The New Zealand snapper (Chrysophrys auratus, Sparidae) has two classes of check rings in the otolith. One class consists of diffuse deposits of light-refractive grains in the growth axis of the otolith. There is no apparent periodicity in these check rings. The other class of check rings consists of fine lines or cracks (structural check rings) which, as they proceed down into the otolith, apparently cast shadows giving rise to opaque zones. These opaque zones are sometimes very regular in their distribution and correspond to the conventional annual rings used in aging snapper.

Keywords snapper; Chrysophrys auratus; Sparidae; otoliths; check rings; aging

New Zealand Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research, 1988, Vol. 22: 273-278 ; Crown copyright 1988Received 4 March 1986; accepted 4 August 1987

PDF file of entire paper: medium quality (2492K); (scanned from paper original: notes about this process)

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