Engraulis encrasicolus (Linnaeus, 1758) were sampled in July/August 1985 in the Western Mediterranean Sea; they were aged by means of growth rings in the sagittal otoliths. Daily growth rings were observed and subdaily rings were visible starting with the third or fourth daily increment. The Gompertz growth equation, commonly employed in larval growth analysis, suitably describes the growth of this species in the length range sampled; however, extrapolation to greater lengths is not reliable. An instantaneous growth rate of ca. 0.9 mm d-1 was calculated for 8 mm larvae at a temperature of 20°C. This rate is higher than those reported by other authors for the related species E. mordax from colder waters

We would also like to thank both the Fundación Ramón Areces for its financial support for the data collection programme and the team that actually carried out the sampling

9 pages, 8 figures, 4 tables

Peer reviewed