The relationships between fish size and otolith dimensions between sexes in the Grey Wrasse, Symphodus cinereus (Bonnaterre, 1788)

Abstract

In this study, the morphology of the sagittal otoliths of Symphodus cinereus, which exhibits an alternative reproductive tactic, was compared between the sexes. Fish specimens were collected using trammel net during the period June 2015 and May 2016 from waters around Rize City at the Black Sea coasts. The otolith weights (OWe), eyed and blind side otolith lengths (OL) and otolith width (OW) of each specimen were measured at the scale of nearest 0.0001g and 0.001 mm respectively. A total of 119 sample fish (48 males and 71 females) were collected to examine. It was recorded that total length ranged from 10.2 to 14.4 cm and 18.51 to 68.23 g for females and 10 to 16.4 cm and 17.14 to 70.29 g for males. It was found that the coefficients of determination between otolith weight and total length is R2 = 0.725 whereas otolith weight and the total length for sexes combined is R2 = 0.715. It was also demonstrated a strong positive relationship between the total length- some otolith dimensions. We determined the differences in otolith length, width and weight between male and female sagittal otoliths. According to these results, female sagittal otoliths tend to be larger than males. The results of this study are important as they reveal the otolith differences of Symphodus cinereus between the sexes.

Keywords

• Linear regression
• sagittae
• Labridae
• morphometric relationships
• Grey wrasse

References

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