The present study aims at the interpretation of the age and calculation of the growth of jundiá, Rhamdia quelen (QUOY & GAIMARD, 1824) of the Santa Catarina - RS plank. To obtain the age of the specimens, the count of hyaline zones found in otoliths and vertebrae was used; both structures were considered valid, since they present similar results. The formation of opaque and hyaline zones takes place on an annual basis. The relationship between the formation of the zones, the ambient temperature and the growth of the fish is evident. Growth curves were calculated for males and females, for otoliths and vertebrae. The mean total length data ( t) and age (I), the von BERTALANFFY equation (1938) was adjusted by means of the functional regression (RICKER, 1973) of the FORD WALFORD expression, to obtain an asymptotic length estimator (L ꚙ); adjusting such data to the expression of Beverton (1954), we obtain an estimator of the catabolism constant (k), which provided length values, for each age, with the smallest residual variance. The sex ratio, weight / length ratio, factor k variation, life time (A 0.95 ) and annual survival rate (S) were also analyzed for males and females of the species.
