• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.44 no.1
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• pp.39-59
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• 2022

How in the Antarctic icefish, generally, and Pseudochaenichthys georgianus, in particular, otoliths increase in size and build new material as the fish ages and passes through different life phases is largely unexplored. Morphometric details of 3418 otoliths of Ps. georgianus from S. Georgia and 318 from S. Shetland, were processed and proportions of the amounts of collagen and aragonite removed by EDTA were determined for different age groups. Microstructural investigations showed that characteristics of the 3-dimensinal collagen net are the reason for the radial direction and orientation of the aragonite needles of approximately 1.0 ㎛ in length in larval and 2.3 ㎛ in length in adult specimens. Earlier generated increment layers from the primordial centre (PC) in the dorsal direction restrict those of the secondary centre (SC), causing new growth layer accretion in different directions. In the otoliths of larval Ps. georgianus, aragonite layers are 0.89 ㎛ wide while in juveniles and adults they measure 1.45-2.86 ㎛. Otoliths change from a sphere shape in the larvae to a longish object of irregular outline in the older stages. It is tentaively suggested that the observed otolith shape differences at distinct growth stages are due to physical effects related to swimming speeds at particular water depths and locations. To confirm that otoliths, apart from being useful for age analyses, could also serve to establish correlations between developmental stage and the oceanic environment the fish spend time in, further analyses using additional species and state-of-the-art methods like µCT imaging to evaluate otolith volumes and shapes are required.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.237-243
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• 2006

The ages of sandfish, Arctoscopus japoninis sampled from the eastern sea of Korea, were determined by the transverse section method of otoliths. Ages were assigned to every individual according to the number of opaque zones, and then fitted to the von Bertalanffy growth equation. Estimated equations were $L_t=25.90(1-e^{-0.2976(t+0.4447)})$ for females and $L_t=21.38(1-e^{-0.2917(t+1.2087)})$ for males, where t is age (year) and $L_t$, is body length (mm) at age t. These two equations were significantly different and the body length of females calculated from the equation was larger than that of males except at 1 year old.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.249-258
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• 2008

Oxygen isotopic composition(${\delta}^{18}O$) of walleye pollock, Theragra chalcogramma, otoliths were measured to investigate interannual and regional correlation with habitat temperature. Specimens were collected from fishermen in Korea and Japan between $1997{\sim}1999$, while seawater temperatures were obtained from Korean and Japanese Oceanographic Data Centers. Seawater temperature was generally lower off the eastern Korean Peninsula than off eastern Hokkaido(Japan). Sagittal otoliths were removed for measurement of ${\delta}^{18}O$ using a micro-drilling technique. In most cases, ${\delta}^{18}O$ and habitat temperature exhibited negative relationship in Korean and Japanese waters. Higher ${\delta}^{18}O$ was observed in Korean pollock compared to Japanese pollock. The marginal parts of otoliths exhibited higher ${\delta}^{18}O$ than cores from both regions. This is an indication that somatic growth of walleye pollock occurs in deeper and cooler waters. Interannual variation in ${\delta}^{18}O$ was also observed. Mean ${\delta}^{18}O$ values acquired from 1997 otoliths were lower(2.15%) than those of 1998(2.67%) and 1999 (2.65%) in Korean pollock. These measurements coincided with changes in observed temperature in Korean waters, in which mean seawater temperature was warmer in 1997 than in 1998 and 1999. In Japanese waters, mean seawater temperature was lowest in 1997, which coincided with highest ${\delta}^{18}O$ values in the same year.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.54 no.1
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• pp.53-63
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• 2021

Age structure and growth of white croaker Pennahia argentata were estimated an analysis of otoliths. Fish specimens were collected from the Southern Sea of Korea from January to December 2018. A thin section method was used for age determination because otoliths of white croaker are oval in shape and large in size. Otoliths were cut vertically into 0.4-0.5 mm thick sections with an electric saw (Micracut 125). Monthly changes in the marginal index indicated that rings (opaque zone) were formed once a year in August. The estimated von Bertalanffy growth equation estimated by a non-linear regression were L∞=34.71 (1-e0.38(t+0.80)). In the present study, the oldest female was 8 years old and the male was 7 years old.

• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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• v.8 no.3
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• pp.237-242
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• 2003

Microstructure of otoliths and early growth in total length of laboratory-reared river puffer, Takrifugu obscurus were observed from 1 to 63 days after hatching. The total length of Takifugu obscurus was 3.09${\pm}$0.02 mm, 4.96${\pm}$0.24 mm, 5.39${\pm}$0.42 mm,9.13${\pm}$0.59 mm, 10.78${\pm}$0.96, 16.40${\pm}$2.31 mm, 30.49${\pm}$l.53 mm in 1, 10, 20, 30, 34, 43, 63 days respectively. The mean radius of otoliths was 14.20${\pm}$1.21 $\mu\textrm{m}$ in 1 day, 31.06${\pm}$2.31 $\mu\textrm{m}$ in 10 days,57.19${\pm}$6.19 $\mu\textrm{m}$ in 20 days,127.13${\pm}$13.13 $\mu\textrm{m}$ in 34 days,190.79${\pm}$17.08 $\mu\textrm{m}$ in 43 days and 281.85${\pm}$23.81 $\mu\textrm{m}$ in 63 days after hatching. Growth of otoliths were similar to the growth pattern in total length during 20-63 days after hatching. Hatch mark was distinguished with other growth increments and within a hatch mark two or three increments were observed. The number of growth increments was correlated with the days after hatching between 20 and 63 days after hatching.

• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.35-40
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• 2014

Hatching date, main spawning period and growth of juvenile marbled flounder (Pseudopleuronectes yokohamae) were determined by analysis of microstructure in otoliths. Marbled flounders were collected by a small beam trawl in Namhae from February 2011 to January 2012. The length (L, mm) was related to body weight (W, g); $W=9.76^*10^{-8}L^{4.39}$ ($r^2=0.93$). The length was also related to otolith radius (R, ${\mu}m$); L=0.0795R+0.2249 ($r^2=0.92$). The growth in length was represented by Gompertz growth curve; $L_t=135{\exp}\{-{\exp}[0.0103(t-116)]\}$ ($r^2=0.83$). The hatching date calculated from the number of daily growth increments in otoliths was between mid-December and mid-February.

• Korean Journal of Ichthyology
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.46-51
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• 1999

Age, hatching date and growth in length of juvenile Limanda yokohamae were determined by analysis of microstructure in otoliths. Monthly samples were collected by a beach seine in the shallow water off Gaduk-do from January to December, 1998. The juveniles were collected between February and April. Mean total length was $22.6{\pm}1.77\;mm$ ($\pm$SD) in February, $23.6{\pm}3.86\;mm$ in March, and $38.2{\pm}8.38\;mm$ in April. The core of otoliths ranged from 18 to $21\;{\mu}m$ in diameter and the growth increments were deposited concentrically from the hatching mark. The secondary growth layer began to appear at the 48 to 56-th increment. It indicates that L. yokohamae larvae may be completed the metamorphosis at this time of ca. 52 d after hatching, and moved into the shallow water for demersal stage. The hatching date calculated from the number of daily increments was between late November and early January, showing a peak in December. The total length (L, mm) was related to otolith radius (R, ${\mu}m$); L=0.055 R+5.81 ($r^2=0.88$). The growth in total length was represented by the Gompertz growth curve; $L_t=3.39e^{4.51(1-e^{-0.0067t})}$ ($r^2=0.81$). Daily growth rate was 0.35 mm/d at the age of 70 d and increased up to 0.55 mm/d at the age of 120 d.

• Korean Journal of Ichthyology
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.272-278
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• 2008

Optimum concentration of alizarine complexone (ALC) for staining of otoliths for Pacific cod was determined by examination of stained quality, growth and survival rates. Small juveniles ($34.1{\pm}1.8mm$ TL, $mean{\pm}SD$) were immersed in four different concentrations (20, 40, 60, 80 mg/L) and large ones ($73.8{\pm}1.2mm$ TL, $mean{\pm}SD$) in five different concentrations (1, 5, 10, 20, 40 mg/L) of ALC for 24 hrs. The fish were then reared and observed for 14 days. The stained quality of otoliths was evaluated by dividing them into four grades by the presence of fluorescent stains on the otoliths under G-excited UV light. The small juveniles stained with the different ALC concentrations had 100% staining success, and their growth rate and body weight did not differ significantly between treatments. Optimal ALC concentration for the smaller juveniles was 20 mg/L in the present experiment. On the other hand, distinct fluorescent rings were confirmed on otoliths of larger juveniles in the 10 mg/L treatment with high survival rate. These results suggest that ALC staining at concentrations of 10 mg/L with larger juveniles will be helpful for release-recapture experiments for stock enhancement of Pacific cod.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.48 no.5
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• pp.760-767
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• 2015

First annulus formation and age determination of otoliths were examined for chub mackerel Scomber japonicus collected in Korean waters over the one year from January to December in 2009. Translucent zone was regarded as an annual mark. Age interpretation criteria was based on the data of the number of translucent zone, capture date, and edge type of the otolith, assuming the nominal birthday to be 1 January. Monthly changes in mean marginal index indicated that translucent zone was formed once a year, mainly in June. The otolith of 0-ring group was detected comparing the progression by month of the smaller fish length, appearing to be a single first opaque zone. The average distance from the core to the first translucent zone was ~1.77 mm, provided as supplementary information to increase ageing accuracy. The ageing criteria for chub mackerel was made to determine correct year-class with the purpose of effective stock assessment. This method using nominal birthdate and edge type analysis could estimate age of fish closer to the true age than purely counting the number of translucent zone on a whole otolith.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.52 no.6
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• pp.650-655
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• 2019

The age and growth of Muraenesox cinereus collected in the South Sea of Korea by Danish seine and coastal Long-line fisheries were determined from right sagittal otoliths between May 2018 and April 2019. Otoliths of 353 fish were observed under reflected light, and the edges of the opaque zone were considered to be the otolith ring. Monthly changes in the marginal index indicated that rings (opaque zones) were formed once a year from June to July. The estimated von Bertalanffy growth equation with growth parameters estimated from non-linear regression were L_t=138.37 (1-e^{-0.18(t+0.79)}) for females and L_t=99.00 (1-e^{-0.13(t+3.99)}) for males. The oldest female M. cinereus was 12 years old, and the oldest male was 8 years old.