The relationship between fish length and otolith size and weight of the Australian anchovy, Engraulis australis (Clupeiformes, Engraulidae),retrieved from the food of the Australasian gannet, Morus serrator (Suliformes, Sulidae),Hauraki Gulf, New Zealand

Abstract

Relationships between fish length and otolith length, width and mass were examined in the Australian anchovy Engraulis australis (White, 1790) recovered from the food of Gannet examined from colonies at islands of Horuhoru Rock and Mahuki Islands in the Hauraki Gulf. New Zealand. The relationships between otolith length- fish total length (TL), otolith-weight-TL, and otolith-width-TL were investigated by means of non-linear regression models (TL = 0.54 OL 16.86, TL = 4.39 OW 7.61 and TL = 26.19 OWe 2.2). This study characterizes the first reference available on the relationship of fish size and otolith size and weight for E. australis obtained from bird’s food in the Pacific Ocean region.