title: [Age and growth of Oreochromis aureus (Pisces: Cichlidae) in Sanalona Reservoir, Sinaloa, Mexico].
abstract: Oreochromis aureus is an important fishing resource in this reservoir but little biological information is available for management purposes. To study its age and growth in the site, we obtained samples using gill nets of six mesh sizes, and collecting fish from commercial catches, on a bimonthly basis, from November 2006 to September 2007. Total length (Lt), total weight (Pt), sex and gonadosomatic maturity were analyzed. Age determination was done by readings of scale growth marks, and its validation was made by the marginal and gonadosomatic index. A total of 384 fish were collected. Length and weight varied from 125 to 345 mm and from 40 to 671 g, respectively. Growth in length and weight are described by the following von Bertalanffy equations: Lt=416 [1-e(-0.3682)(t+0.4975)] and Pt=1323 [1-e(-0.3682(t+0.4975)](3.0652). Two growth marks per year were registered, these were associated to metabolic and environmental factors like reproduction and temperature.
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio de Limnología y Pesquerías de Agua Dulce, FACIMAR, UAS, Paseo Claussen S/N, Colonia los Pinos, Mazatlán, Sinaloa, México. rigober80@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Rigoberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Beltrán-Alvarez
authors.forename: Jesús
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sánchez-Palacios
authors.forename: Guadalupe L
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Valdez
authors.forename: Armando A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Ortega-Salas
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D023681:Cichlids / Q000254:growth & development*; D017753:Ecosystem; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D008800:Mexico; D012741:Sexual Maturation / Q000502:physiology*