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Duration of larval and spawning periods inPagrus auratus (Sparidae) determined from otolith daily increments

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Counts of pre-metamorphic and post-metamorphic daily increments in the sagittae of settled juvenilePagrus auratus were used to determine duration of the larval period and to back-calculate spawning dates. The duration of the larval period was 18–32 days, and was longer for snapper spawned early in the spawning season, when water temperatures were low, than for snapper spawned later in the season when temperatures were high. Sagitta size at metamorphosis was unrelated to duration of the larval period or temperature, and mean increment width during the larval period increased with temperature. These results suggest that metamorphosis is size- rather than age-dependent. Back-calculated spawning dates ranged from September to March, and peaked in November-January. Maximum spawning season duration was five months. Spawning onset was earlier when spring water temperature was higher than normal, and first spawning occurred at 14.8–15.6 °C over three seasons, indicating that spawning onset is temperature-dependent.

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  1. Malcolm P. Francis

    Present address: Fisheries Research Centre, P.O. Box 297, Wellington, New Zealand

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  1. Leigh Marine Laboratory, University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, Auckland, New Zealand

    Malcolm P. Francis

  2. Fisheries Research Centre, MAF Fisheries, P.O. Box 297, Wellington, New Zealand

    Malcolm P. Francis

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Francis, M.P. Duration of larval and spawning periods inPagrus auratus (Sparidae) determined from otolith daily increments. Environ Biol Fish 39, 137–152 (1994). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00004931

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