AGE AND GROWTH OF THE SOLDIER, SEBASTES-CAPENSIS (PISCES, SCORPAENIDAE) AT TRISTAN-DA-CUNHA AND GOUGH ISLAND, SOUTH-ATLANTIC OCEAN

Age and growth in the scorpaenid Sebastes capensis was studied at Tris tan da Cunha and Gough Island using otoliths. The growth rate of speci mens collected at Gough Island was almost twice that of specimens coll ected at Tristan da Cunha. The largest specimen from Tristan was aged at 18 years while similar-sized fish from Gough were only 11 years old . Because the populations at the two localities were not considered to be genetically isolated from one another, it was hypothesized that th e difference in the growth rate and longevity was related to site-spec ific environmental conditions. Inshore sea temperatures were, on avera ge, 3 degrees C higher at Tristan than at Gough throughout the year. I t is concluded that this temperature difference may affect growth rate indirectly through regulating diet and metabolic activity in S. capen sis. Changes in reproductive strategy related to the level of environm ental predictability at the two localities may also affect growth rate in this species.