AGE, GROWTH, AND REPRODUCTION OF DENTEX MAROCCANUS (ACTINOPTERYGII: PERCIFORMES: SPARIDAE) IN THE SAROS BAY (NORTH AEGEAN SEA)

Background. The Morocco dentex, Dentex maroccanus Valenciennes, 1830, is a sparid species, which has economical value and its population is expanding in a 20-500 m depth range throughout the Mediterranean. Worldwide, there is a lack of information about the biology (age, growth, reproductive season, first maturity length) of this species. This study provides the first data on population parameters of D. maroccanus in the Aegean Sea.