Growth acceleration at sex change in the protogynous hermaphrodite Chrysoblephus puniceus (Pisces: Sparidae)

Growth of Chrysoblephus puniceus was modelled by means of a Von Bertalanffy growth equation, taking into consideration that it may not be realistic to model the growth of this protogynous hermaphrodite simply by constructing sex-specific growth curves or by pooling data for both sexes. Estimates of the values of the growth equation parameters were obtained by fitting to age-length data sampled in the St Lucia Marine Reserve and off southern Moçambique. Empirical evidence is presented which suggests that accelerated growth at sex change occurs in C. puniceus.