Relationships between fish age and otolith size in spiny eel: Mastacembelus mastacembelus (Banks & Solander, 1794)

Abstract

In this study, the relationships of age groups with length, width, and weight of sagittal otolith in a total 187 specimens belonging to the spiny eel, M. mastacembelus population inhabiting Karakaya Dam Lake were examined. Age groups of the population ranged between I and IX. The length, width, and weight of otoliths were found between 1.44 - 3.82 mm, 0.80 - 1.71 mm, and 0.30 - 3.80 mg respectively. There was a stronger and positive linear relationship between the otolith size (length, width, and weight) and age groups.