AGE AND GROWTH OF THE BASTARD SOLE, MICROCHIRUS-AZEVIA (CAPELLO, 1868) (PISCES, SOLEIDAE) FROM THE SOUTH COAST OF PORTUGAL

Age composition and growth rates of the bastard sole, Microchirus azev ia (Capello, 1868) were studied by examination of growth increments wi thin otoliths of 1493 specimens caught between January 1986 and May 19 92 on the south coast of Portugal. The results revealed that (1) a sin gle annulus formed between May and September, (2) the bastard sole is a moderately long-lived species, females grow up to 8 years (32.7 cm) and males to 7 years (31.9 cm), (3) the greatest growth in length occu rred from ages 0 to 2 and declined steadily after age 3, for both sexe s, (4) higher asymptotic length for the females and (5) 50% of the fem ales are sexually mature at total length of 23.0 cm, when they are 3 y ears old. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V.