Population Structure and Life-History Parameters of the Pacific Golden-Eye Tilefish Caulolatilus affinis: A Data-Poor Species from Ecuador
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Víctor Zhicay [1] ; Luis Flores-Vera
[2]
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[1] Facultad de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad de Guayaquil, Ecuador
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[2] , Instituto de Ciencias Marinas y Limnológicas, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile; Universidad Espíritu Santo, Ecuador
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- Localización: Thalassas: An international journal of marine sciences, ISSN 0212-5919, Vol. 41, Nº. 1, 2025
- Idioma: inglés
- Texto completo no disponible (Saber más ...)
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Resumen
The Pacific golden-eye tilefish (Caulolatilus affinis) is an artisanal caught resource along the Ecuadorian coast. Knowledge regarding its population structure and biological characteristics remains limited, yet crucial for effective evaluation and management of its populations. Size composition, sex ratio and biological parameters [von Bertalanffy growth model (VBGM), size (L50%) and age (T50%) of maturity, length-weight relationship (LWR), theoretical maximum age (Tmax) and natural mortality (M)] were analyzed for the Gulf of Guayaquil (GG) during 2017 and 2018. Size ranged between 19 and 52 cm TL, with 4 modal groups identified in both sexes. Sex ratio (F: M) for the two years was 1.81:1. The allometry coefficient value (b) of the LWR was 2.69 for females and 2.89 for males. The VBGM parameters [asymptotic length (L∞), growth constant (k) and theoretical age at zero length (t0)] determined for males were 54.14 cm TL, 0.349 cm year−1 and −0.403 year, and for females 52.82 cm TL, 0.355 cm year−1 and −0.399 year. The L50% and T50% were estimated at 27.72 cm TL (1.81 years) and 28.38 cm TL (2.31 years) for females and males, respectively. While Tmax ranged between 7.90 and 9.83 years. M varied between 0.30 and 2.2 years−1 in both sexes. In summary, C. affinis in the GG is characterized by its negative allometry, slow growth and intermediate longevity. Females are more abundant than males, and they mature at a smaller size and age. Also, their natural mortality is higher during the first year of life
