Early Life Traits and Population Dynamics of Juvenile Chelon saliens (Risso, 1810) in the Çardak Lagoon (Sea of Marmara, Türkiye)

This study aims to describe the early life biological characteristics of Chelon saliens juveniles in the Çardak Lagoon, including growth patterns, size structure, recruitment dynamics, and temporal distribution. A total of 362 individuals were collected monthly between September 2024 and August 2025 using a beach seine net. Total length ranged from 1.5 to 10.5 cm, with a mean length of 3.7 ± 1.6 cm, and the 2–3 cm size class was the most dominant. The highest abundance was recorded in September (n = 127) and October (n = 114), indicating that these months represent the main recruitment period. The length–weight relationship was estimated as W = 0.011L²·⁸4, indicating negative allometric growth (p < 0.05). Daily age ranged between 20 and 159 days, and the mean daily growth rate was calculated as 0.82 mm/day. The daily mortality coefficient (Z) was estimated at 0.023 day-1. Hatching time analysis showed that reproduction mainly occurred in summer and autumn, with a peak in October. As a study focusing on juvenile population parameters of this species, the current findings provide fundamental information for understanding the early life ecology and biology of the species.