Age, growth and reproduction of the Axilary Seabream, "Pagellus acarne" (Risso, 1827), from the South coast of Portugal

Axillary seabream, Pagellus acarne, caught by longlines in the Algarve (Southern Portugal), were sampled between August 1995 and August 1996. Age was studied by counting growth increments on otoliths and the estimated von Bertalanffy parameters were Linf = 28.82 cm, K = 0.29 year-1 and t0 = -1.47 year for males and Linf = 32.30 cm, K = 0.18 year-1 and t0 = -2.56 year for females. Evidence of the annual periodicity of the deposition of increments was found by marginal increment analyses. Macroscopic analysis of the gonads and the gonad somatic index showed that reproduction occurred over an extensive period of time, from May to November. Lengths at first maturity were 18.10 and 17.60 cm for males and females, respectively. This species was characterized as being a protandric hermaphrodite.

Genetic evidence fails to discriminate between Macroramphosus gracilis Lowe 1839 and Macroramphosus scolopax Linnaeus 1758 in Portuguese waters

Fish belonging to the genus Macroramphosus are distributed throughout the Atlantic, Indian and PaciWc oceans. Some authors consider this genus monotypic, Macroramphosus scolopax being the only valid species. Other authors consider (based on several morphological and ecological characters) that another species (Macroramphosus gracilis) exists and occurs frequently in sympatry with the Wrst one. Intermediate forms are also reported in literature. In this paper, using the mitochondrial control region and the nuclear Wrst S7 intron markers, we failed to Wnd genetic diVerences between individuals considered to belong to both species as well as the intermediate forms. Our results suggest that in the northeastern Atlantic, Macroramphosus is represented by a single species, M. scolopax, with diVerent morphotypes interbreeding in the sampling areas.