TY - JOUR AU - Malara, Danilo AU - Longo, Francesco AU - Pagano, Luca AU - Stipa, Maria Giulia AU - Romeo, Teresa AU - Andaloro, Franco AU - Greco, Silvestro AU - Battaglia, Pietro PY - 2021/09/02 Y2 - 2024/03/29 TI - Age and growth of pompano, Trachinotus ovatus, from the Strait of Messina (central Mediterranean Sea) JF - Scientia Marina JA - Sci. mar. VL - 85 IS - 3 SE - Articles DO - 10.3989/scimar.05167.016 UR - https://scientiamarina.revistas.csic.es/index.php/scientiamarina/article/view/1905 SP - 175-185 AB - <p>This is the first paper to provide detailed information on the age and growth of&nbsp;<em>Trachinotus ovatus</em>. The size of the 244 individuals collected in the Strait of Messina ranged from 2.7 to 30.4 cm in fork length (<em>L</em><sub>F</sub>) and 0.31 to 508.6 g in body mass (<em>M</em>). The relationship between these parameters (<em>M</em>&nbsp;-&nbsp;<em>L</em><sub>F</sub>) was investigated and showed a good fit. Age estimation based on vertebrae and otoliths yielded similar results, suggesting a maximum age of five years. However, the precision and accuracy tests, such as percentage of agreement (PA), mean coefficient of variation (ACV) and average percent error (APE) indicated that the otolith readings (97.83% PA, 0.54% ACV and 0.38% APE) were more reliable for age estimation than vertebrae readings (82.17% PA, 5.33% ACV and 3.77% APE). The multi-model inference approach allowed us to compare different non-linear growth models. The von Bertalanffy model (<em>L</em><sub>∞</sub>=29.139,&nbsp;<em>k</em>=0.496 and&nbsp;<em>t</em><sub>0</sub>=−0.347) fitted the length-at-age data best. This species has a relatively rapid growth and an estimated longevity of five to seven years. This information could be used for management and first stock assessment studies on&nbsp;<em>T. ovatus</em>&nbsp;in the Mediterranean Sea.</p> ER -