Growth rates of the copepod Centropages typicus were assessed during May 19
98 in the Alboran Sea. The goal of the work was to compare field growth rat
es of juvenile (artificial cohort method) and adult copepods (female egg pr
oduction rates) under an extensive range of natural conditions. The results
showed that adult and juvenile growth rates were similar in some stations,
while in others no such relationship was apparent. In contrast to the comm
on belief that juvenile growth may be saturated under natural conditions wh
ereas adults may be food-limited, in most of our study, adult growth rates
were greater than juveniles. We discuss these results in the light of food
availability at the surveyed stations. In summary, the assumption that cope
pod growth rates estimated through egg production rates of adults are equiv
alent to juvenile growth is not always valid.