INTERPRETABILITY AND PRECISION OF ANNULUS COUNTS FOR CALCIFIED STRUCTURES IN CARP, CYPRINUS-CARPIO L

Scales, opercular bones and whole otoliths of carp from the River Murr ay, Australia, were analysed for interpretability and reproducibility of annulus counts by three interpreters of disparate experience. Inter pretability was least for scales and highest for opercular bones, and annulus counts from scales and opercular bones were more precise than those from otoliths. However, these differences were not statistically significant. Relatively high values of the index of average percent e rror (IAPE) and of the mean coefficient of variation (V) confirmed tha t age interpretation in carp is difficult and requites extensive train ing and experience.