title: Modelling the growth of Japanese eel Anguilla japonica in the lower reach of the Kao-Ping River, southern Taiwan: an information theory approach.
abstract: Information theory was applied to select the best model fitting total length (L(T))-at-age data and calculate the averaged model for Japanese eel Anguilla japonica compiled from published literature and the differences in growth between sexes were examined. Five candidate growth models were the von Bertalanffy, generalized von Bertalanffy, Gompertz, logistic and power models. The von Bertalanffy growth model with sex-specific coefficients was best supported by the data and nearly overlapped the averaged growth model based on Akaike weights, indicating a similar fit to the data. The Gompertz, generalized von Bertalanffy and power growth models were also substantially supported by the data. The L(T) at age of A. japonica were larger in females than in males according to the averaged growth mode, suggesting a sexual dimorphism in growth. Model inferences based on information theory, which deal with uncertainty in model selection and robust parameter estimates, are recommended for modelling the growth of A. japonica.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Fisheries Science, Division of Life Science, National Taiwan University, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Y J
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: W N
authors.initials: WN
authors.lastname: Tzeng
mesh_terms: D000811:Anguilla / Q000254:growth & development*; D000818:Animals; D049628:Body Size; D005260:Female; D007257:Information Theory; D008297:Male; D008954:Models, Biological; D045483:Rivers; D012737:Sex Factors; D013624:Taiwan