A study on some biological peculiarities of the Picarel (Spicara flexuosa Rafinesque, 1810) distributed in the Bay of Izmir (Aegean Sea)

In this study, a total of 412 fish were obtained between June 1998 and March 1999 to examine the biological characteristics of the population of Spicara flexuosa which is found in Izmir Bay (Turkey). The fish examined presented the age group I--IV. Females and males constitute 41.75% and 58.25% of the population respectively. S. flexuosa minimum and maximum fork length is 9.20 - 15.50 cm and minimum and maximum weight were 11.04 - 55.06 g. The von Bertalanffy growth formula estimated for males was (L sub( infinity ) = 18.25 cm, K = 0,247, t sub(0) =-2,626; W sub( infinity ) = 78,92 g), females (L sub( infinity ) = 17,11 cm, K = 0,314, t sub(0) =-0,636; W sub( infinity ) = 75,25 g) and the sexes combined (L sub( infinity ) = 19,45 cm, K = 0,205, t sub(0) =-0,399; W sub( infinity ) = 78,31 g). Length-weight relationship was calculated as W = 0.0411 * L super(2.594) (r= 0,92) and average condition factor was calculated as K = 1,255 for all individuals.