332 
Fishery Bulletin 108(3) 
A Citharichthys cornutus 
20.0 25.0 30.0 35.0 40.0 45.0 50.0 55.0 60.0 65.0 70.0 75.0 80.0 81.3 
Standard length (mm) 
B Citharichthys gymnorhinus 
75 n 
6.0-10.0 10.1- 15.1- 20.1- 25.1- 30.1- 35.1- 40.1- 45.1- 50.1- 
15.0 20.0 25.0 30.0 35.0 40.0 45.0 50.0 55.0 
Standard length (mm) 
Figure 5 
Size distribution (standard length) for two species of Citharichthys captured off 
the east coast of the United States and nearby regions. (A) Citharichthys cornutus 
(n=566). (B) Citharichthys gymnorhinus (n = 196). 
Between 40 and 45 mm, 7 of 10 males are mature, but 
in the next size category (45-50 mm) only 4 of 9 males 
are mature. Between 50 and 55 mm, 90% of the males 
are mature, and between 55 and 65 mm, 95-98% of the 
males (42 of 44 and 126 of 129, respectively) are mature. 
Nearly all males (n = 38 of 40) >65.1 mm are mature. 
Among the 171 females examined (Fig. 6B), 18 
(28.0-55.1 mm) are immature, whereas mature fe- 
males (rc = 153) range in size between 41.5 and 81.3 
mm. Among the smallest females, 14 of 15 (93%) rang- 
ing between 28.0 and 45.0 mm are immature. Between 
45.1 and 50.0 mm, only 1 of 3 females are immature, 
and among females >50 mm, only three (51.1, 51.8, and 
55.1 mm) are immature. Of mature females, 2 of 3 fe- 
males between 45.1 and 50.0 mm are mature, whereas 
between 50.1 and 55.0 mm about 93% (28 of 30) of the 
females are mature, and all but one female > 55.1 mm 
are mature. 
The largest collection of C. cornutus from off the east- 
ern seaboard of the United States (NCSM 47664) con- 
tains 314 fish ranging in size from 20.0 to 68.0 mm. The 
sample comprises 177 males (20-68 mm), 136 females 
(28-64 mm), and 1 individual (68 mm) of unknown sex. 
The sex ratio for this sample is 1.3 :1.0 males to females. 
Among males, 164 are mature (48-68 mm), and 13 oth- 
ers (20-49 mm) are immature. Most of the 136 females 
(n=121, 47-64 mm) are mature and only 15 (28-46 mm) 
are immature. Co-occurrence of juveniles and adult 
males and females in the same collection indicates that 
both sexes and both life stages occupy similar depths 
and probably occur in the same microhabitat(s). 
Before this study, little information was available 
regarding size at maturity for C. cornutus. Earlier lit- 
erature on C. cornutus emphasized the sexual dimor- 
phisms exhibited by this species and the relative sizes 
when these dimorphic features become evident. Parr 
(1931:17) provided the most detailed account on size, 
morphological features, and striking sexual dimorphism 
exhibited in this species (as C. unicornis) based on at 
least 37 males and 31 females ranging from 32 to 68 
mm SL (note again that his specimens may have been 
a mixture of C. cornutus and C. gymnorhinus). Norman 
