Age and growth of the blacktail comber, Serranus atricauda (Serranidae), off the Canary Islands (central-eastern Atlantic)

This study provides information about the age and growth of the blacktail comber Serranus atricauda Gunther, 1874 from the Canary Islands, eastern-central Atlantic. The length-weight relationship was described by the following parameters: a = 0.0056 and b = 3.25, being positively allometric. Age was determined from annuli in whole otoliths (sagittae) stained with ninhydrin, which highlighted the alternating opaque and translucent zones of each annulus. The high percentage of otoliths with translucent zones during the annual cycle indicated that this species has continuous growth year-round. Age range was 2-16 yrs for fish measuring 16.2-43.2 cm TL, and weighing 55-1104 g TW. This species is slow-growing and long-lived. The growth parameters obtained were L-infinity = 49.52 cm TL, K = 0.11 yrs(-1), and t(o) = -0.76 yrs. Otolith length was the best predictor of fish length, while the otolith weight was the best predictor of age.