Verification of otolith identity used by fisheries scientists for aging channel catfish

Transactions of the American Fisheries Society
Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation; Oklahoma State Univ.;
By:  and 

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Abstract

Previously published studies of the age estimation of channel catfish Ictalurus punctatus based on otoliths have reported using the sagittae, whereas it is likely they were actually using the lapilli. This confusion may have resulted because in catfishes (ostariophyseans) the lapilli are the largest of the three otoliths, whereas in nonostariophysean fish the sagittae are the largest. Based on (1) scanning electron microscope microphotographs of channel catfish otoliths, (2) X-ray computed tomography scans of a channel catfish head, (3) descriptions of techniques used to removed otoliths from channel catfish reported in the literature, and (4) a sample of channel catfish otoliths received from fisheries biologists from around the country, it is clear that lapilli are most often used for channel catfish aging studies, not sagittae, as has been previously reported. Fisheries scientists who obtain otoliths from channel catfish can use the information in this paper to correctly identify otolith age.

Publication type Article
Publication Subtype Journal Article
Title Verification of otolith identity used by fisheries scientists for aging channel catfish
Series title Transactions of the American Fisheries Society
DOI 10.1577/T10-102.1
Volume 139
Issue 6
Year Published 2010
Language English
Publisher American Fisheries Society
Publisher location Bethesda, MD
Contributing office(s) Coop Res Unit Atlanta
Description 5 p.
First page 1775
Last page 1779
Online Only (Y/N) N
Additional Online Files (Y/N) N
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