Nelson: Age, growth, mortality, and distribution of Lagodon rhomboides 



589 



28,20 

 28 10 

 2800 - 

 27.90 - 

 a. 27.80 



"D 

 3 



5 27,70  

 27,60  

 27,50  

 27,40 

 27,30 

 27,20 



-8340 



-83,20 



-83 00 -82 80 



Longitude 



-8260 



-82,40 



Figure 6 



Map of distribution of pinfish catches from the baitfish trawl survey in Gulf of 

 Mexico waters adjacent to Tampa Bay, 1994-97. Latitude and longitude values are 

 given in decimal degrees. 



and the largest (203-mm-SL) pinfishes were captured in 

 the 6-10 m and 11-15 m depth ranges, respectively. 



Discussion 



Age and growth 



This study is the first to report otolith-derived age esti- 

 mates for pinfish. Hansen (1970) reported scale-derived 

 age estimates for pinfish from a Florida Panhandle 

 estuary. In the current study, annuli were identified and 



counted on whole otoliths and were then identified and 

 counted on thin sections. The high initial agreement 

 (89.6'7f) between the age determinations of the author 

 and a second reader suggests a high degree of precision 

 can be attained without sectioning the otolith. Given the 

 high degree of error generally associated with estimating 

 ages of fish from their scales ( Jearld, 1983; Beamish and 

 McFarlane, 1987), I believe that age estimations made 

 from pinfish otoliths are far more likely to be accurate. 



Deposition of opaque material in the sagittal otoliths of 

 pinfish occurs over a protracted late-winter to early-spring 

 period and indirectly validates the formation of annuli in 



