Sobre la edad y crecimiento de la gallineta, Prionotus ruscarius Gilbert & Starks, 1904 (Scorpaeniformes: Triglidae), desembarcado en el puerto de Jaramijó, Manabí, Ecuador.

Abstract

The common searobin (Prionotus ruscarius) has a wide distribution in the eastern Pacific Ocean from southern California to Peru. It is a benthic species caught in the artisanal trammel net fishery and the industrial shrimp trawl fishery. There are few studies on its biology, which makes it difficult to know the status of its population and take administrative measures to ensure its sustainability. The present study dealt with the evaluation of the age and growth of this species by reading the growth rings in the sagitta otolith (direct method). The specimens came from the landings of the industrial shrimp trawling fleet in the port of Jaramijó, Manabi, Ecuador, between May and November 2022. A total of 213 individuals were evaluated whose average size was 27.8 cm Lt (21.3 to 36 cm Lt) and average total weight 223.8 g (96.5 to 421.6 g). Sex ratio was 1M:0.8H, which did not differ significantly from the expected. The common equation of total length vs. weight was W =0.0093 Lt3.03 (r2=0.95), without finding a significant difference between the coefficients of males and females. An isometric growth type (b=3) was determined. For the analysis of age and growth, 5 age groups were observed with the following average sizes: age 3 (23.42 cm), age 4 (26.13 cm), 5 (27.58 cm), 6 (28, 71 cm) and 7+ (29.69 cm). The average percentage error (APE) from two readers was 4.2%. The correlation between the Lt and the otolith radius was r2=0.90. The coefficients of the von Bertalanffy growth equation estimated by means of the linearized equation of Gulland and Holt, were L∞= 31.19 cm, K= 0.40 years and by means of the von Bertalanffy method, the theoretical age was estimated as to=0, 46 years. It was estimated that P. ruscarius reaches a maximum observed size and weight of 31 cm Lt and 274.96 g at the age of 7 years.