ESTIMACION DEL CRECIMIENTO Y MORTALIDAD DEL CHIVO CABEZON Anopsis bonillai (MILES, 1945) (PISCES: SILURIFORES. ARIIDAE), EN LA CIENAGA GRANDE DE SANTA MARTA, COLOMBIA

Abstract

From September 1981 and during 14 months of continued sampling in the Ciénaga Grande de Santa Marta, 3477 specimens of the New Granada sea catfish Ariopsis bonillai (Miles, 1945) were captured. These catches served as a basis for estimation of the size-weight relationships calculated for both males and females separately and in combined fashion. Growth curves for length and weight after von Bertalanffy,s model were obtained, as well as preliminary values for natural (M), total (Z) and fishing mortality (F). The variation of these results is analyzed for both sexes as a cause-effect function resulting from the mouth breeding behavior characteristic of this species.