Age and Growth of Southern Flounder in Texas Waters, with Emphasis on Matagorda Bay

Abstract

Estimates of age and growth of southern flounder Paralichthys lethostigma from Matagorda Bay, Texas, were made by analyzing thin sections of sagittal otoliths from 892 specimens collected along the Texas coast from May 1992 to January 1995. Marginal increment analysis showed that a single annulus completed formation between January and March. The maximum age differed by bay systems, but it ranged from 0 to 4 years for both males and females. Males were generally smaller than females and exhibited asymptotic growth at an earlier age. The von Bertalanffy growth model equations for both females and males coastwide were L _t = 660.45[1 − e ^{−0.208 (t+1.317)}] and L _t = 308.67[1 − e ^{−0.701 (t+0.421)}], respectively.