Growth analysis of striped mullet, Mugil cephalus, and white mullet, M. curema (Pisces: Mugilidae), in the Gulf of Mexico

The parameters from von Bertalanffy's growth equation were es- timated for Mugil cephalus and M. curema located in Tamiahua coastal lagoon in Veracruz, Mexico. Also differ- ences in growth and longevity between sexes were obtained. The following were growth parameters for M. cephalus: L∞ = 642.4 mm, W∞ = 2,352.12 g, k = 0.099, t0 = -2.85, (A0.95) = 28.3 years; and for M. curema: L∞ = 461.4 mm, W∞ = 844.73 g, k = 0.14 y t0 = -3.62, (A0.95) = 18.7 years. Some important differ- ences among growth rates from other areas were found. Significant differ- ences in the growth rate between sexes were observed. The following were growth parameters for M. cephalus: fe- males: L∞ = 622.9 mm, k = 0.107, t0= -2.67; A0.95 = 26.2 years; males: L∞ = 603.9 mm, k = 0.105, t0 = -2.98; A0.95 = 26.5 years; for M. curema: females: L∞ = 454.6 mm, k = 0.135, t0 = -3.94; A0.95 = 19.2 years; males: L∞ = 411.8 mm, k= 0.187, t0 = -3.03; A0.95 = 14.0 years.