Growth and reproduction of spotted flounder Citharus linguatula (L.) in Edremit Bay (Northern Aegean Sea)

Abstract

In this study, some growth characteristics of spotted flounder, Citharus linguatula (L.) were investigated from 498 specimens collected in the northern Aegean coast of Turkey from September 2015 to April 2016. Total length ranged from 10.4 to 21.9 cm while weight varied between 7.6 and 73.67 g. According to the length-weight relationship, positive allometry was confirmed for both sexes with W= 0.0033L3.298 (R2 =0.902). Von Bertalanfy growth rate was determined as Lt= 27.64(1-e -0.21(t+1,64)). As the spotted flounder population in Edremit Bay consisted of 166 females and 332 males, the sex ratio was skewed in favour of males (1:2) (p<0.05, t-test). The monthly values of gonadosomatic index (GSI) of females indicated that spawning occurred mainly between the end of summer and the begining of winter with a peak in November while the monthly values of condition factor(CF) and hepatosomatic index (HSI) were the highest in March and November, respectively.