Growth and otolith morphology vary with alternative reproductive tactics and contaminant exposure in the round goby Neogobius melanostomus

Round goby Neogobius melanostomus sagittal (saccular) otolith morphology was compared between males of the two alternative reproductive tactics (termed guarder and sneaker males) and between males captured from sites of high or low contamination. Otolith size increased with fish size and also displayed an ontogenetic shift in shape, becoming relatively taller as otoliths grew in size. Despite a considerable overlap in age between males adopting …