VALIDATION OF AGE-DETERMINATION IN NOTOTHENIA CORIICEPS, BY MEANS OF A TAG-RECAPTURE EXPERIMENT AT POTTER COVE, SOUTH SHETLAND ISLANDS

Of 409 Notothenia coriiceps specimens tagged and released at Potter Co ve, South Shetland Islands, in successive years from 1989 to 1992, 9 w ere recaptured at the same site after periods of between 11 and 21 mon ths. A comparison was carried out between checks found in scales remov ed before and after the period of release. In scales of those specimen s recovered after 11 to 13 months, one extra annulus was laid down. Th e same analysis in one individual (recovered after 21 months resulted in 2 extra closely spaced sclerites zones, which corresponded with an elapse of two winter seasons. The comparative analysis between scales taken at recapture and otolith cross sections of the same individual p ermitted a simultaneous counting of the annuli with good agreement. Th ese results validate the principle of annual deposition of the annulus in scales and otoliths of N. coriiceps. A preliminary analysis of sca les regenerated after release indicates that these observations are of value in validation studies.