Fish scale

[Mr31415]

I know this is not a reef fish, but it is still marine.


20130514-DSLR_IMG_0235.jpg by pwnell, on Flickr
Rock fish scale, 4x, POL, HF B, Pano of 4 images


20130514-DSLR_IMG_0398.jpg by pwnell, on Flickr
Rock fish scale, 10x, DIC, HF B (5,3)

 

[Reef Bass]

Love the detail in the scale. I wonder whether the "rings" correspond to age.

 

[Mr31415]

They do

 

[Reef Bass]

Neato. Any idea of the time frame? If it's a ring a year, that was a fairly old fish!

With the closeup shot, it appears the scale forms by adding a new layer underneath the scale, so if one were to look at it from the side, the very first / center ring would be like a hilltop plateau.

 

[Mr31415]

I am no expert in ring counting but it is my understanding that during the colder season the rings are thicker as growth slows down. So this fish seems to be about 18 years old. You do not count each ring, but rather each group separated by a thicker ring.