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Fishery Bulletin 99(4) 
Figure 1 
Marks on calcified structures taken from a 5-year-old (determined from sectioned otoliths) female summer flounder, TL = 687 
mm, collected in mid-January. Arrows indicate individual marks counted (as described in the “Methods” section). (A) Whole 
otoliths, viewed with reflected light on a black background. Arrows indicate presumed annual marks along the primary counting 
path; dots indicate presumed annual marks along the secondary path. Whole otolith radial lengths were measured along the pri- 
mary counting path. ( B ) Transverse otolith sections, viewed in transmitted light. Sectioned otolith radial lengths were measured 
along the counting path (indicated by arrows) from the center of the focus to the edge along the ventral arm of the sulcal groove. 
(C) Right opercular bone, viewed with reflected light on a black background. AA = articular apex. (D) Scale impressions, viewed 
in transmitted light. White arrows indicate marks that appear on only one of the scales. Asterisks indicate probable false marks. 
Both scales have a probable false mark prior to the first mark counted. 
transmitted light and dark under reflected light, whereas 
opaque zones appeared dark under transmitted light and 
white under reflected light. The first presumed annual 
mark was defined as the first opaque zone after the first 
translucent zone, where the first translucent zone occu- 
pied the central focal area of the opercular bone. Both 
bones were examined, and the one with the clearest marks 
was used for aging. Opercular bone radial length (OpRL) 
was measured to 0.05 mm from the center of the articular 
apex to the anterior margin edge with calipers. 
Scales were soaked in water until flexible and brushed 
gently with a soft bristle toothbrush. Then 5 or 6 clean, 
symmetrical, unregenerated scales were dried, taped to an 
acetate sheet, inserted between two new acetate sheets, 
and pressed in a Carver laboratory scale press for 2 
minutes at 15,000 pounds of pressure and 60°C. Scale 
impressions were read with a Bell-Howell R753 micro- 
fiche reader at 20x and 32x. Presumed annual marks 
were identified with standard scale reading criteria as de- 
scribed in Smith et al. (1981), Dery (1988), and Almeida 
