The age-class distribution of the Brazilian flathead Percophis brasiliensis in relation to environmental variables in spring and winter, and the growth of both sexes, were studied in the SW Atlantic Coastal System (SACS)(34°S-31° S). Growth was studied from 1449 individuals (n=853, spring (1998 + 2000), n=596, winter (2004)) to which size (TL), sex, and age were determined. Age was determined considering that an opaque plus a hyaline band (present in the transverse section of the sagitta otolith) represented 1 year of life. The age-class distribution in spring and winter was established through hierarchical clustering and non-metric multi-dimensional scaling (nMDS analysis). This analysis grouped sampling stations (n=109, spring 1998; n=160, winter 2004)... |