Fitting Time Series Models to Fisheries Data to Ascertain Age

Figure 1

This is the microscopic cross section of the ear bone of a 3-year-old Atlantic croaker. The age is evidenced by the three numbered dark bands. Year 1 begins at the nucleus and continues down the succal groove (dashed line) to band 1. Year 2 begins at band 1 and continues to band 2. Year 3 begins at band 2 and ends at band 3. Accretional growth during year 3 extends to the edge of the ear bone as indicated by “+.” Inset: the marginal increment ratio is b/a.