Trends and Patterns in Age and Growth of Sciaenidae Fishes: A Scientometric and Systematic Approach

Understanding patterns of age and growth is essential for fisheries management, particularly for ecologically and economically important groups such as Sciaenidae. This study provides a comprehensive scientometric and quantitative synthesis of age and growth studies in Sciaenidae, aiming to identify temporal trends, geographic patterns, methodological approaches, and variability in growth parameters. A total of 162 studies were selected from the Scopus database following PRISMA guidelines. Scientific production increased exponentially over time (R 2 = 0.78), reflecting growing interest in population dynamics and stock assessment. However, important gaps persist, particularly regarding the low representation of several species and geographic regions. Sectioned otoliths were the most frequently used method, followed by length-frequency approaches, highlighting differences in methodological application across studies. Significant differences in the growth coefficient (k) were detected among methods, indicating that methodological choice can influence parameter estimation. Despite this, biological and environmental factors remain the primary drivers of growth variability among genera, indicates broad patterns. Growth parameters varied widely among genera, reinforcing that Sciaenidae do not exhibit a uniform growth pattern. Among studies that validated annulus periodicity, annual annulus formation consistently supported the reliability of otolith-based age estimation. Overall, this study highlights the importance of integrating methodological, ecological, and spatial perspectives to better understand growth dynamics. These findings provide valuable insights for improving stock assessments and emphasize the need to expand research efforts, particularly for underrepresented species and tropical regions, to support more effective and sustainable fisheries management.