Abstract
Three measures (gape, tip and tooth row) of pharyngeal bones from 13 Eurasian cyprinid fish species caught in north‐eastern Germany were used to establish species specific bone measurelength relationships for reconstruction of prey fish length. Left and right bones were symmetrical in the case of gape, tip and length of tooth row in 69, 46 and 8%, respectively. Gape and tip showed significantly lower maximum values of relative error than the tooth row measure. A comparison of bone measures established for roach Rutilus rutilus (L.) and bream Abramis brama (L.) from north‐eastern and from southern Germany showed significant differences. Left and right bone measure‐length relationships are not generally identical. Gape and tip measures allow more accurate back‐calculation of length than tooth row measures and locality specific relationships should be established.