Resumen

ANDRADE DE PASQUIER, Glenys  y  PEREZ E, Eduardo P. Comparison of methods for estimation of white shrimp (litopenaeus schmitti) growth parameters in western venezuela. INCI [online]. 2007, vol.32, n.1, pp.35-40. ISSN 0378-1844.

Different estimates of growth parameters for the white shrimp Litopenaeus schmitti have been reported for Western Venezuela. The differences have been attributed to the different methods and data bases employed. In order to evaluate these explanations, a re-evaluation of growth parameters for this species was carried out using two data bases and two fitting methods: the ELEFAN approach and the least squares minimization technique. The first data base consisted only of juvenile length frequency distributions recorded in the 1991-1993 period in the Maracaibo Lake. The second one consisted in both juvenile and adult frequency distributions recorded in the 2001-2003 period in the Maracaibo Lake and the Gulf of Venezuela. In order to fit parameters by the ELEFAN method, the FiSAT package was used, while worksheet spreads were used for fitting parameters by least squares minimization. Results showed a greater impact of the size range recorded in the data base than of the method employed. Using information contained in both data bases results were similar among methods, but were different when comparison was between data bases, which were different in terms of the size ranges represented. For Litopenaeus schmitti in Western Venezuela, data bases with adequate representation of juvenile and adults led to more reliable estimates than fitting based exclusively in juveniles.

Palabras clave : Crecimiento ; Distribución Multinomial ; ELEFAN ; Golfo de Venezuela ; Lago de Maracaibo ; Litopenaeus schmitti .