Some population parameters of three flatfish species ( <i>Arnoglossus laterna</i> , <i>Monochirus hispidus</i> , and <i>Microchirus ocellatus</i> ) from Güllük Bay, southern Aegean Sea

This study investigates the age, growth, and length–weight relationships of three demersal flatfish species— Monochirus hispidus , Microchirus ocellatus , and Arnoglossus laterna —collected from Güllük Bay in the southern Aegean Sea between September 2019 and February 2020. A total of 667 individuals were analyzed to determine biometric characteristics and growth parameters. The relationship between length and weight was expressed by the equation W = a TL b , revealing species-specific growth patterns. A. laterna exhibited positive allometric growth with b values between 3.25 and 3.35, Monochirus ocellatus showed slightly positive allometry with b values ranging from 3.09 to 3.19, while Microchirus hispidus displayed nearly isometric growth with b values around 3.03. The sex ratio of A. laterna was significantly male-biased, whereas Monochirus hispidus and Microchirus ocellatus showed balanced distributions. The estimated von Bertalanffy Growth parameters produced the following growth equations: A. laterna as L t = 21.3[1–e −0.21(t+0.62) ], Monochirus hispidus as L t = 14.7[1–e −0.38(t+0.04) ], and Microchirus ocellatus as L t = 17.56[1–e −0.22(t+1.57) ]. These results indicate that Monochirus hispidus grows more rapidly but attains a smaller maximum size, whereas A. laterna and Microchirus ocellatus grow more slowly and reach larger asymptotic lengths. The findings provide valuable insights into the growth dynamics of these benthic species and highlight that studies on their age and growth are still very limited, emphasizing the need for further research.