344 



Fishery Bulletin 97(2), 1999 



tonguefish broken down into 25-mm length incre- 

 ments showed that females dominated many inter- 

 mediate size classes (Table 1). 



The length-weight relationships for 200 males (48- 

 190 mm TL) and 310 females (46-202 mm TL) (Fig. 

 3) were 



Males: W = 10"^ ''o (TL^ '26,. 

 Females: W = 10 '^■'" (TL'^ 1^3) 



No statistically significant differences were found 

 between sexes in the total length-total weight rela- 

 tionships (ANCOVA; F=3.86; df=506; P>0.25). The 

 length-weight relationship for sexes combined was 



W= 10 



-.■>., 'i-i 



TL 



3.1-)8 



). 



Size at sexual maturity observed in female and 

 male blackcheek tonguefish ranged between 80-130 

 mm TL and 70-110 mm TL, respectively. Length at 



which 50% of the population reached maturity was 101 

 mm TL for females and 91 mm TL for males (Fig. 4). 



Sagittal otoliths of blackcheek tonguefish are 

 small, round, dense structures that cannot be read 

 whole. Transverse sections of otoliths (Fig. 5), how- 

 ever, revealed fairly distinct opaque bands that could 

 be counted. Transverse sections through otoliths in- 

 dicated that otolith structure consists of an opaque 

 core usually surrounded by a wide opaque area whose 

 outer edge demarcates the first annulus. Size and 

 appearance of this first annulus vary among fish, 

 ranging from a broad band continuous with the core 

 to a narrow opaque band not continuous with the 

 core. Subsequent annuli are represented by thin 

 opaque bands encircling the core and by broader 

 translucent zones found between annuli. At the mar- 

 gin of the otolith, an annulus was difficult to observe. 

 However, when sufficient spring and early summer 

 growth had occurred and contributed translucent 

 material to the margin of the otolith after annulus 



