Abstract
Age determination of fishes based on periodic growth increments in otoliths has become a routine tool in fisheries science over the last century. Campana and Thorrold (2001) calculated that the ages of over 1 million fish were likely estimated in 2000 by fisheries scientists around the world. We probably have more demographic information on fishes than any other group of organisms on earth, with the exception of humans. The chronological records provided by otoliths are indeed unique. Growth increments in otoliths have now been validated to form on an annual basis in numerous species by many studies (Choat & Robertson 2002). Reef fish biologists were relatively slow to use annual increments in otoliths, perhaps because of the perceived lack of seasonality in tropical environments (Fowler 1995).
| Original language | English |
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| Title of host publication | Tropical Fish Otoliths: Information for Assessment, Management and Ecology |
| Editors | Bridget S. Green, Bruce D. Mapstone, Gary Carlos, Gavin A. Begg |
| Place of Publication | Netherlands |
| Publisher | Springer Dordrecht |
| ISBN (Electronic) | 978-1-4020-5775-5 |
| ISBN (Print) | 978-1-4020-3582-1, 978-94-007-3678-8 |
| Publication status | Published - 2009 |
| Externally published | Yes |