Age and growth 



Otoliths from larval winter flounder were examined to determine if an age-length key could be 

 constructed as deposition of daily increments on otoliths has been reported for many fish (e.g., Pancila 

 1971, 1974; Brothers et al. 1976; Laroche et al. 1982; Campana and Neilson 1985). Radtke and Soberer 

 (1981) reported that winter flounder larvae deposited a daily increment on otoliths following yolk absorption . 

 In 1984, otoliths from 104 larvae collected in the Niantic River were examined and 81 of these were 

 sufficiently clear to count the number of increments. Total increment counts ranged from to 1 for Stage 

 1, to 6 for Stage 2, 5 to 35 for Stage 3, and 17 to 50 for Stage 4 (Fig. 18). Based on the low counts 

 for Stage 2 and older larvae, daily increment deposition was not apparent. The otoliths of known-age 



100 



60 



30 



20 



10 



6 



3 



2 



0-1 



4 4+ 1 '^, 



4 



34 

 3 



3 

 3 3 



2 2 2 3 



2 2 2 



2 2 



2 



1 21 

 1111. 1 2_ 



5 6 7 



LENGTH (MM) 



Figure 18. Otolith increment count by length for each developmental stage oflarval winter flounder from 1984 

 samples. 



79 



