Comparing aging precision of calcified structures in shovelnose sturgeon

Age estimates for population analysis must be precise. We assessed the usefulness of pectoral fin rays, sphenoids, opercula, and dorsal scutes of shovelnose sturgeon Scaphirhynchus platorynchus (n = 30) as aging structures based on ease of collection, distinctness of annuli, and measures of precision both between and within readers. We also determined how age estimates from paired fin rays of individuals were related (n = 106). Pectoral fin rays generated the highest within reader precision (100% within 2 years) followed by sphenoids (58%), opercula (56%), and dorsal scutes (49%). Ages estimated by the pectoral fin ray also had higher between_ reader agreement (80% within I year) than did those from the operculum (60%), sphenoid (59%), or dorsal scute (560//0). Likewise, age estimates from pectoral fin rays had the lowest mean coefficient of variation (8.2%) followed by sphenoids (9.9 %), opercula (11. 3 %), and dorsal scutes (11. 5 %). Only the operculum produced biased estimates between readers. Ages from paired fin rays agreed poorly (36% exact, 30% within I year) although no aging bias occurred. The pectoral fin ray is typically used to age shovelnose sturgeon. Because uncertainty about accuracy and precision of age estimates from this structure remains, shovelnose sturgeon management objectives that result from age data should remain conservative.