Early life traits of the common two-banded seabream, Diplodus vulgaris (Perciformes: Sparidae), inhabiting the shallow waters of Gökçeada Island, Turkey

Abstract

Daily growth rates and pelagic larval duration were investigated in the common two-banded seabream (Diplodus vulgaris). Fish were sampled using a beach seine from the shallow waters of Gökçeada Island, Turkey, between June 2013 and June 2014. The minimum and maximum daily age estimates were 41 and 339 d, respectively. The mean daily growth rate of young-of-the-year D. vulgaris was 0.330 mm·d–1. Our results showed that D. vulgaris exhibits a Type Ia settlement-mark with a pelagic larval duration of 29 d. The hatching period occurred from November to April. The maximum hatching frequencies were observed in winter, when the water temperature was relatively low. The natural logarithm of young-of-the-year abundance data was plotted against age, and the instant mortality coefficients were estimated. The relationships between total length and otolith morphometric measurements (otolith length [OL], width [OW], and radius [OR]) were defined by linear equations. Furthermore, it was observed that this ratio exhibited a linear relationship with OL, OW, and OR and total length and daily age.