Validation of otolith-increment age estimates for a deepwater fish species, the warty oreo Allocyttus verrucosus, by radiometric analysis

Otolith increment age estimates for a deepwater species, Allocyttus verrucosus, were validated by comparison with the results from ²¹⁰Pb:²²⁶Ra radiometric analysis. Transverse sectioning and subsequent grinding of otoliths to a thickness of ≃ 0.2 mm revealed increments which provided age estimates for a range of fish sizes. Age estimates ranged from 7 yr for an immature fish of 15.2 cm total length (TL) to 130 yr for a female fish of 36.5 cm TL. Age at maturity was estimated as 28 yr for females and 24 yr for males. In comparison, radiometric analysis of whole otoliths, using a single linear otolith-mass growth-rate model suggested maximum ages of 130 to 170 yr for fish of 34 to 35 cm TL. Radiometric ages were also recalculated using a two-phase otolith-mass growth-rate model in which the growth rate was assumed to slow after maturity to 90% of the pre-maturity rate. This reduced the maximum age to 132±15 yr for a mean fish length of 34.5 cm. Age at maturity for females was estimated at 34 yr. The similarity between age estimates from otolith-increment counts and radiometric analysis strongly supports the accuracy of results from both methods, and encourages further use of such comparisons as an alternative to traditional validation techniques.