Age, Growth, and Mortality of Caulolatilus affinis (Osteichthyes: Branchiostegidae) from the Southern Gulf of California

Abstract

Age, growth, and mortality of the Pacific golden-eyed tilefish (Caulolatilus affinis Gill) were investigated. From a total sample of 7253 individuals taken from February 1986 to May 1987, the ages of a subsample of 3532 fish were determined using their otoliths. The eviscerated-total weight relationship was linear. The length-weight relationship was fitted to a potential model and the growth pattern can be considered as isometrical. Growth of C. affinis can be adequately described by the von Bertalanffy growth function; the parameter estimates were Loo = 387.97 mm SL, k = 0.1729 per year, to = -2.226 yr, for males; Loo = 478.28 mm SL, k = 0.0924 per year, to = -3.768 yr, for females; Loo = 422.87 mm SL, k = 0.1327 per year, to = -2.713 yr, for the sexes combined. Asymptotic weights (eviscerated) were 1210.96 g, 2310.42 g, and 1571.13 g for males, females, and the sexes combined, respectively. The instantaneous rate of total mortality (Z) was 0.4829, 0.4253, and 0.5052, and the corresponding rate of natural mortality (M) was 0.2142, 0.1316, and 0.1697 for males, females, and the sexes combined, respectively.