Skip to main content

Age and Growth Studies in Indian Oil Sardine (Sardinella longiceps) using Hard Part Microstructure, a Tool for Biological and Ecological Understanding

Thalassas: An International Journal of Marine Sciences (2022)Cite this article

Abstract

Age and growth characteristics of the Indian oil sardine (Sardinella longiceps) was studied by interpreting microstructures on hard parts. Microstructures were validated to the time scales by observing their frequency of formation on hard parts of the fishes reared in confinement. Among the hard parts, sagittal otolith alone was found suitable for ageing the species as frequency of microstructure formation on them followed definite time scale. The estimates of age at length data and growth parameters from otolith analysis indicated faster growth in the species than the earlier estimates by other methods. Despite an expected sexual divergence in their growth, results show identical growth in both sexes. It further highlighted the prevalence of very distinct temporal growth variation driven by habitat environment indicating significance of hard part studies on ecological understanding of fishes. It also aided in tracing the precise time of birth with high precision, identifying the cohorts that supported the fishery and possible inter-regional migration of the species. The data generated from hard part ageing would aid in better eco-biological understanding of species, precise stock assessment outputs and fishery forecasting.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution.

Access options

Buy single article

Instant access to the full article PDF.

USD 39.95

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9

Data Availability

The datasets generated during and/or analysed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

References

  • Abdussamad EM, Pillai NGK, Habeeb Mohammed OM, Jayabalan K (2010) Sardines of the Gulf of Mannar ecosystem - fishery and resource characteristics of major species. Indian J Fish 52:7–12

    Google Scholar 

  • Abdussamad EM, Mini KG, Sasikumar G, Chakraborty RD, Retheesh TB, Deepthi NV, Mohammed AA, Saji Kumar KK, Akhil AR, Prakasan D (2019) Age determination in fishes using hard parts: A practical handbook, ISBN978-93-82263-30-2 80P.

  • Al-Anbouri IS, Ambak MA, Jaybalan N (2011) Studies on the age, growth and mortality rates of Indian Oil Sardine, Sardinella longiceps Valenciennes, 1847 off Oman Sea, Muscat, Sultanate of Oman. J Bio Agri Heal 1:19–26

    Google Scholar 

  • Annigeri GG, Kurup KN, Kumaran M, Mohan M, Luther G, Nair PN, Rohit P, Kulkarni GM, Narayana GJC, Rao KV (1992) Stock assessment of oil sardine, Sardinella longiceps Val., off west coast of India. Indian J Fish 39:125–135

    Google Scholar 

  • Antony Raja BT (1969) The oil sardine. Bull Central Mar Fish Res Inst 16:128

    Google Scholar 

  • Antony Raja BT (1970) Estimation of age and growth of the Indian oil sardine, Sardinella longiceps Val. Ind J Fish 17:26–34

    Google Scholar 

  • Balan V (1959) Age-determination of the Indian oil-sardine, Sardinella longiceps Val. by means of scales. Curr Sci 28:122–123

    Google Scholar 

  • Balan V (1964) Studies on the age and growth of the oil-sardine Sardinella longiceps Val. by means of scales. Ind J Fish 11:663–686

    Google Scholar 

  • Banerji SK (1968) Estimation of marine fish production. In symposium on the current status of fisheries statistics. 12–13, J Indian Soc Agric Stat 20(2):62–67

  • Bellido JM, Pierce GJ, Romero JL, Millan M (2000) Use of frequency analysis methods to estimate growth of anchovy (Engraulis encrasicolus L. 1758) in the Gulf of Cadiz (SW Spain). Fish Res 48:107–115

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bensam P (1964) Growth variations in the Indian oil sardine, Sardinella longiceps Valenciennes. Ind J Fish 11:699–708

    Google Scholar 

  • Brothers EB (1987) Methodological approaches to the examination of otoliths in aging studies. The age and growth of fish. The Iowa State University Press, Ames IOwaa PP. 319–330

  • Campana SE, Neilson JD (1985) Microstructure of fish otoliths. Can J Fish Aquat Sci 42:1014–1032

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Carbonara P, Follesa MC (2019) Handbook on fish age determination: a Mediterranean experience. General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean. Studies Rev 98:1–179

    Google Scholar 

  • Cubillos LA, Arcos DF, Bucarey DA, Canales MT (2001) Seasonal growth of small pelagic fish off Talcahuano, Chile (37° S, 73° W): a consequence of their reproductive strategy to seasonal upwelling? Aquat Living Resour 14:115–124

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dayaratne P, Gjosaeter J (1986) Age and growth of four Sardinella species from Sri Lanka. Fish Res 4:1–33

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dehghani M, Kamrani E, Salarpouri A, Kamali E (2015) Age and growth of Sind sardine (Sardinella sindensis) using otolith from Qeshm Island (Persian Gulf). Iran J Fish Sci 14:236–250

    Google Scholar 

  • Devanesan DW (1943) A brief investigation into the causes of the fluctuation of the annual fishery of the oil-sardine of Malabar, Sardinella longiceps Cuv. and Val., determination of its age and an account of the discovery of its eggs and spawning grounds. Madras Fish Bull 28:1–38

    Google Scholar 

  • Fonteles Filho AA, Carvalho MOX, Paiva MP, Júnio MP (2005) Age and growth of Brazilian sardinella, Sardinella brasiliensis (Steindachner) (Osteichthyes: Clupeidae), in southeastern Brazil. Arquivos de Ciências do Mar 38(1–2):39–47

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ganga U, Pillai NGK (2006) Comparison of the growth of oil sardine Sardinella longiceps Val., off Vishakhapatnam and Malabar coasts. Ind J Fish 53:449–453

    Google Scholar 

  • Gayanilo FC, Sparre P Pauly D (2005) FAO-ICLARM stock assessment tools II: User's guide (No. 8). Food Agric Org. http://www.fao.org/fi/statist/fisoft/fisat

  • Green BS, Mapstone BD Carlos G, Begg GA (2009) Tropical fish otoliths: information for assessment, management and ecology (Vol. 11). Springer Science and Business Media

  • Hornell J, Nayudu MR (1924) A contribution to the life history of the Indian oil sardine with notes on the plankton of the Malabar coast. Government Press 17:129–197

    Google Scholar 

  • Jayabalan N, Zaki S, Al-Kiyumi F, Al-Kharusi L (2014) Age, growth and stock assessment of the Indian oil sardine Sardinella longiceps Valenciennes 1847 off Mahout coast, Sultanate of Oman. Ind J Fish 61:1–6

    Google Scholar 

  • Jayaprakash AA (2007) Distribution and migration of oil sardine. CMFRI Newsletter Ser No 115:10–11

  • Kendall MG, Sturat A (1973) The advanced theory of statistics, vol II, 3rd edn. New York, Hafner

    Google Scholar 

  • Krishnakumar PK, Rohit P, Nayak TH Rajagopalan M (2006) Assessing the impacts of climate change on marine fisheries of Karnataka and identifying regime shifts. In:B. M. Kurup and K. Ravindran (eds) Sustain Fish, School of Industrial Fisheries, CUSAT 378–386

  • Kumar K, Balasubramanian K (1987) Fishery and biology of oil sardine Sardinella longiceps (Valenciennes) from coastal waters of Parangipettai. In CMFRI Bulletin National Symposium on Research and Development in Marine Fisheries Sessions I and II 44:42–45

    Google Scholar 

  • Kurup KN, Balan V, Vijayaraghavan P, Kumaran M (1989) Stock assessment of the Indian oil sardine (Sardinella longiceps) off the West Coast of India.

  • Morales-Nin B, Pertierra JP (1990) Growth rates of the anchovy Engraulis encrasicolus and the sardine Sardina pilchardus in the Northwestern Mediterranean Sea. Mar Biol 107:349–356

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nair PG, Joseph S, Kripa V, Remya R, Pillai VN (2016) Growth and maturity of Indian oil sardine Sardinella longiceps (Valenciennes, 1847) along southwest coast of India. J Mar Biol Assoc India 58:64–68

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nair RV (1949) The growth -rings on the otoliths of oil-sardine Sardinella longiceps Cuv. and Val. Curr Sci 18:9–11

    Google Scholar 

  • Nair RV (1959) Notes on the spawning habits and early life history of the oil sardine, Sardinella longiceps Cuv. and Val. Ind J Fish 6:342–359

    Google Scholar 

  • Nair RV (1960) Synopsis on the biology and fishery of the Indian sardines. Species synopsis No.11, Proc. World Sci. Meeting on Biology of Sardines 2:329–414

    Google Scholar 

  • Nair RV, Chidambaram K (1951) A review of the Indian oil sardine fishery. Proc Nat Inst Sci India 17:71–85

    Google Scholar 

  • Palomares ML, Muck P, Mendo J, Chuman E, Gomez O, Pauly D (1987) Growth of the Peruvian anchoveta (Engraulis ringens), 1953 to 1982. The Peruvian anchoveta and its upwelling ecosystem: three decades of change. ICLARM Stud Rev 15:117–141

    Google Scholar 

  • Pauly D (1980) A new methodology for rapidly acquiring basic information on tropical fish stocks: growth, mortality and stock-recruitment relationships. Citeseer, City 154–7

  • Pauly D, Morgan GR (1987) Length-based methods in fisheries research (Vol. 13). World Fish

  • Prabhu MS, Dhulkhed MH (1967) On the occurrence of small sized oil sardine, Sardinella longiceps Val. Curr Sci 36:410–411

    Google Scholar 

  • Rohit P, Sivadas M, Abdussamad EM, Margaret Muthu Rathinam A, Koya KP, Ganga U, Ghosh S, Rajesh KM, Mohammed Koya K, Chellappan A, Mini KG (2018) Enigmatic Indian oil sardine: An insight. ICAR-Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute

  • Rohit P, Bhat SU (2003) Sardine fishery with notes on the biology and stock assessment of oil sardine off Mangalore-Malpe. J Mar Biol Assoc India 45:63–71

    Google Scholar 

  • Saccardo SA, Rossi-Wongtschowski CL, Cergole MC, Bittencourt MM (1988) Age and growth of the southeastern Brazilian sardine, Sardinella brasiliensis 1981–1983. Boletim Do Instituto Oceanográfico 36:17–35

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sam Bennet P (1965) Length and age composition of the oil sardine catch off Calicut coast in 1964 and 1965. Indian J Fish 12A (2):507–529

  • Sarang JD, Sundaram S (2010) Emergence of oil sardine fishery as an alternative resource for dolnetters at Arnala. Mar Fish Inf Serv Techn Extension Ser 206:7–9

    Google Scholar 

  • Schreck CB, Moyle PB (1990) Methods for fish biology. American Fisheries Society Bethesda. Maryland, USA. The European anchovy Engraulis Encrasicolus. Fish Res 42:229–243

    Google Scholar 

  • Shah T, Chakraborty S, Tarkeshwar K, Sadawarte R (2018) Observations on the fecundity of Sardinella longiceps from Ratnagiri waters off west coast of India. J Exp Zool India 21:237–240

    Google Scholar 

  • Von Bertalanffy L (1938) A quantitative theory of organic growth (inquiries on growth laws. II). Hum Biol 10:181–213

    Google Scholar 

  • Yohannan TM, Balasubramanian KK, Janaki VK (1998) Comparison of the growth patterns of Indian mackerel and oil sardine. J Mar Biol Assoc India 40:205–208

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

Authors are grateful to Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) and National Agricultural Innovation Project (NAIP) for the support in establishing fish ageing facility at the Institute. We sincerely acknowledge, Dr. A. Gopalakrishnan, Director, ICAR-Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI) for his constant encouragement and support in carrying out the work. Dr. G. Syda Rao, former Director, of the Institute and Dr. K. S. Mohammed, former Head, Molluscan Fisheries Division, is also thankfully acknowledged for their motivation and support.

Funding

The research leading to these results received funding from Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) under National Agricultural Innovation Project (NAIP).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. ICAR-Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute, Ernakulam North P.O, Kochi, 682018, India

    E. M. Abdussamad, P. Rohit, S. Ghosh, K. G. Mini, P. Shameer, N. V. Dipti, T. B. Retheesh, A. M. Abbas, A. R. Akhil, I. Shihab & A. Gopalakrishnan

Authors
  1. E. M. Abdussamad
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. P. Rohit
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. S. Ghosh
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. K. G. Mini
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. P. Shameer
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. N. V. Dipti
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. T. B. Retheesh
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  8. A. M. Abbas
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  9. A. R. Akhil
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  10. I. Shihab
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  11. A. Gopalakrishnan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Contributions

Author 1. Conceptualization, supervision and writing original draft, Author 2. Formal Analysis, Author 3. Resources and supervision, Author 4. Software analysis, Author 5. formal analysis, resources, Author 6. Investigation, resources. Author 7. Investigation, resources, Author 8. Investigation, resources, Author 9. Software analysis, Author 10. writing review and editing, Author 11. Funding acquisition, supervision.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to E. M. Abdussamad.

Ethics declarations

Ethical Approval

All authors agree to its submission and the Corresponding author has been authorized by co-authors; This Article has not been published before and is not concurrently being considered for publication elsewhere. This Article does not violate any copyright or other personal proprietary right of any person or entity and it contains no abusive, defamatory, obscene or fraudulent statements, nor any other statements that are unlawful in any way.

Human and Animal Ethics

All experiments have been conducted as per the guidelines of the Institutional Animal Ethics Committee, Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute, Kochi. Only dead fish samples collected from the fish landing centers were used for this study.

Consent for Publication

I Abdussamad EM, corresponding author of this manuscript give my consent for the publication of identifiable details which can include figures, tables and details within the text to be published in the Thalassas journal and article on behalf of all the co-authors.

Competing Interests

The authors have no financial or proprietary interests in any material discussed in this article. The authors declare no competing interests.

Additional information

Publisher's Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.

Reprints and Permissions

About this article

Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Abdussamad, E.M., Rohit, P., Ghosh, S. et al. Age and Growth Studies in Indian Oil Sardine (Sardinella longiceps) using Hard Part Microstructure, a Tool for Biological and Ecological Understanding. Thalassas (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s41208-022-00498-2

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s41208-022-00498-2

Keywords

  • Ageing
  • Hard parts
  • Sagittal otoliths
  • Microstructures
  • Ecology
  • Stock assessment
  • Forecasting