COMPARATIVE GROWTH IN RELATION WITH THE AGE ASSESSED BY SKELETOCHRONOLOGY IN 2 MULLET FISHES OF GENUS LIZA

We propose a new method for determining age in mullet fishes taking th e thoracic spines as material of analysis. The relations length-age an d weight-age were evaluated by von Bertalanffy and logarithmic regress ions. Both methods closely agreed with the observed data but the von B ertalanffy's model showed the best R2 values in both species. Two para meters related to growth speed; the K coefficient of von Bertalanffy's model and the slope of logarithmic regression, were higher in Liza ra mada than in Liza saliens. However, our results show that mullet have both high rates of size-growth and weight-production, in comparison wi th other marine fishes.