Growth of marbled spinefoot Siganus rivulatus Forsskål, 1775 (Teleostei: Siganidae) introduced to Antalya Bay, eastern Mediterranean Sea (Turkey)

The age and growth of the marbled spinefoot, Siganus rivulatus Forsskål, 1775, were determined based on specimens collected from Antalya Bay (eastern Mediterranean), during the period from October 1996 to August 1998. Total length-weight relationship was estimated as W = 0.0064L3.221 for females, W = 0.0079L3.135 for males. Growth parameters of the von Bertalanffy equation were computed for females and males as: L? = 22.55 cm, W? = 146.8 g, k = 0.267 yr-1, t0 = -0.47 and L? = 21.06 cm, W? = 112.1 g, k = 0.343 yr-1, t0 = -0.54, respectively. Age was determined by posterior body scale readings. Maximum observed age was 8 years, suggesting that the species is long-lived. © 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.