564 



Fishery Bulletin 92(3). 1994 



5 6 



CO 



P 700 1 Otoliths 



'<5U 



Hardpart radius (mm) 



Figure 9 



Total length plotted on hardpart size for age-3 weak- 

 fish, Cynoscion regalis, n=35. Lines represent the 

 linear total length to hardpart regressions calculated 

 from all fish, n = 175. Fish are marked by season of 

 collection: open circles=April-May; shaded 

 triangles=June-July; and black squares=August- 

 September. 



Discussion 



Our results indicate that transverse otolith sections 

 are the best method to age weakfish. Sectioned 

 otoliths were characterized by thin opaque bands, 

 considered annuli, interspersed with wider translu- 

 cent zones. This pattern is similar to other sciaenids, 

 such as spotted seatrout, Cynoscion nebulosus 

 (Maceina et al., 1987), Atlantic croaker, Micro- 

 pogonias undulatus (Barbieri et al., 1994), red drum, 

 Sciaenops oeellatus (Murphy and Taylor, 1991), and 

 black drum, Pogonias cromis (Beckman et al., 1990). 

 This pattern should not be confused with the more 



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E 



0) 



o 



c 



5 10 

 o 



Ol 

 QJ 



m 

 o 

 co oo 



Otoliths 



Scales 



63 33 13 



090 J^ 



60 



30 



CQ 



O 



n 



— , 



ID 



3 



(D 



=1 



3 

 3 



0-1 1-2 2-3 3-4 4-5 5-6 



Between annuli 



Figure 1 1 



Mean annual growth increments of weakfish, 

 Cynoscion regalis, scales and otoliths. Vertical bars 

 are ± one standard error. Numbers above the bars 

 represent sample sizes. 



