Tuhinga 7, 1996

The estimation of live fish size from archaeological cranial bones of the New Zealand kahawai Arripis trutta

B.F. Leach, J.M. Davidson, L.M. Horwood, S. Mallon

ABSTRACT: Five paired cranial bones and the otoliths of a modern sample of 143 kahawai, Arripis trutta, were measured and regression analysis performed against live fork length and ungutted weight. A number of regression models were examined (linear, logarithmic, exponential and power curve) to work out the optimum estimator for each bone measurement. Coefficients are provided for 44 equations linking archaeological bone size to live characteristics. It was found that fork length could be estimated with a standard error of less than ±29 mm and weight to less than ±290 g.