Abstract:

In an attempt to constrain growth rates and develop better methods for aging Gulf Killifish, Fundulus grandis, several efforts were made, beginning in November of 2013, to capture individuals with minnow traps in two marsh pools near the LUMCON field station in Chauvin, LA. Over 800 individuals have been captured, measured, tagged with small coded wire tags, and immersed in oxytetracycline (OTC) to mark otoliths with a fluorescent ring for aging purposes. These individuals have been released and efforts have been made to recapture tagged individuals (94 recaptured thus far). Data collection is ongoing, including initial and final length (to calculate growth per time released), date tagged and date recaptured, otolith measurements (amount of otolith accreted since OTC marking, overall otolith size, etc.), catch per unit effort, sex, and location released and recaptured.

Suggested Citation:

Lopez-Duarte, Paola. 2016. Age and Growth of a Subtropical Marsh Fish: The Gulf Killifish, Fundulus grandis. Distributed by: GRIIDC, Harte Research Institute, Texas A&M University–Corpus Christi. doi:10.7266/N7NZ85M4

Publications:

Vastano, A. R., Able, K. W., Jensen, O. P., López-Duarte, P. C., Martin, C. W., & Roberts, B. J. (2017). Age validation and seasonal growth patterns of a subtropical marsh fish: The Gulf Killifish, Fundulus grandis . Environmental Biology of Fishes, 100(10), 1315–1327. doi:10.1007/s10641-017-0645-7

Purpose:

To better characterize age and growth of the Gulf Killifish, Fundulus grandis.

Data Parameters and Units:

Distances are measured in meters. Fish lengths (total length) are measured in millimeters. Master: Sample number; Date tagged (MM/DD/YYYY); Species; Fish TAG ID; Paper TAG ID; Initial Length (mm); Final length (mm); Calculated Length (standard length/0.814, mm); Growth (calculated length-initial length, mm); Otolith growth (um); Otholith growth/day (um); Otolith growth/year (um); Average length (final length+initial length/2, mm); Tag site; Recapture site; Sex; Date recaptured (MM/DD/YYYY); Days at Liberty; Growth (mm/day); Growth per year (mm/yr); Tagged first; Tray; Slot #l Notes Otolith Measurements: Tag#; Overall length; Core to edge; Core to OTC; OTC to edge; angle; Measurement check; Growth %; OTC position; Notes Tag Data: Seq; Fish Length (millimeters); Sex; Location; Date tagged; Tag order; Salinity (ppt) Sampling locations: A: 29.254506, -90.664592 B: 29.255797, -90.668739 Naming convention for the image files: numbers refer to the sample numbers. For example, 07_1_1.jpg = fish number 07.

Individual Files: