Surface bands on deepwater squalid dorsal-fin spines: an alternative method for ageing Centroselachus crepidater

• Published in: Canadian journal of fisheries and aquatic sciences 2006-03, Vol.63 (3), p.617-627
• Main Authors: Irvine, Sarah B, Stevens, John D, Laurenson, Laurie JB
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Age; Agnatha. Pisces; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Applied ecology; Biological and medical sciences; Centroscymnus crepidater; Centroselachus crepidater; Dogfish; Estimating techniques; Exploitation and management of natural biological resources (hunting, fishing and exploited populations survey, etc.); Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Marine; Physical growth; Physiological aspects; Sharks; Spine; Vertebrates: general zoology, morphology, phylogeny, systematics, cytogenetics, geographical distribution
• ISSN: 0706-652X; 1205-7533
• DOI: 10.1139/f05-237

Bands on the external surface of the second dorsal-fin spine proved to be a novel method of estimating the age and growth of Centroselachus crepidater. Bands that followed the shape of the spine base were enhanced with an alizarin red derivative. Internal bands in spine cross sections were also examined. The number of both external and internal bands increased with animal size, although most spines had more external than internal bands. External bands were more reliable and were assumed to be annuli. The rate of band formation differed after five bands had been formed, and internal bands ceased forming after 30 years. Females to 54 years old and males to 34 years old were examined. Maturity occurred over a wide age range, with estimates of 20 years for females and 9 years for males. The youngest pregnant female was 27 years old. The Francis reparameterized von Bertalanffy growth model found similar growth for males and females, and the von Bertalanffy equations were L t  = 96.12(1 – e (–0.072(t+6.13)) ) for females and L t  = 73.22(1 – e (–0.141(t+2.99)) ) for males.