Portunus pelagicus
4 Years old.
The purpose of this project is to demonstrate fish ageing techniques. Using the crack and burn method, otoliths were “flamed” using a zippo lighter carefully with the blue part of the flame lower to the chimney to avoid scorching and soot. The otoliths were then embedded in Crayola modeling clay and submerged in canola oil.
Then viewed and photographed using a stereo microscope.
Scales were viewed and photographed using a stereo microscope.
Counting the annuli on both the scales and otoliths, the age of the fish can then be determined.
Please feel free to leave a comment on what age you think these fish could be.
All scales and otoliths were collected with guidance and permission under MNRF guidance.
These ~5-6mm (some a little smaller) beetles have previously been found in my garden and identified as a potential invasive species of some importance see here https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/11317923
I have now rediscovered them in the garden today (on a garden wall) and collected specimens so that a positive ID can hopefully be made.
Edit: 2 High resolution images added (first 2 images) of one of the dead specimens collected at the time of making this obs. Other photos are of live specimens taken in the field.
Collected - All these shells were collected from 1985 to 1999, I do not remember the exact collection data for them.
C&R using a 7 wt fly rod and a spawning shrimp pattern.
parupeneus forsskali / Nakari 2012
Parupeneus forsskali (Perciformes: Mullidae) - Red Sea goatfish - Woodhouse Reef, Straits of Tiran, Red Sea, Egypt
Looks like Parupeneus forsskali
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