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Atlantic salmon is an important aquaculture species that has fascinated naturalists for centuries, resulting in its biology being widely characterized. Certain details about the early development and the inheritance of meristic variation in the post‐cranial axial skeleton are, however, largely unexplored. The present study gives a detailed description of the sequence of formation of the post‐cranial axial skeleton based on whole‐mount staining and used radiology to investigate the inheritance of meristic variation in isogenic hybrid all‐male families of Atlantic salmon (~4 kg). Eight different families were created by crossing two homozygous double haploid XX females (dam A, B) with four different double haploid homozygous YY super males (sires a to d). In the caudal fin complex, the first bone to form is hypural 1 and its associated lepidotrichia followed by a bidirectional formation of new bones. In the dorsal and anal fins, development starts in the cranial part, and new bones form bidirectionally towards the head and tail fin. The neural and haemal arches start to form at segment 43, and further development is bidirectional. The first parapophysis form in the caudal part of the abdomen followed by a unidirectional completion cranially. The first ribs form at segment 3 and new ribs develop unidirectional caudally. Chordacentra formation starts at segment 24 followed by formation of chordacentrum number 58 (caudal‐most vertebra). New chordacentrae form bidirectionally from segment 24 in parallel with the formation of chordacentrum number 57. The first epineuralia form at segment 1 followed by a unidirectional completion caudally until segment 30. The first supraneuralia to develop is number 10 closely followed by number 1, then new supraneurals form bidirectionally from number 10. Analysis of the inheritance on the post‐cranial axial skeletal bones showed a strong maternal effect on total vertebrae centra and tail fin lepidotrichia counts. For these skeletal counts, dam A produced offspring with modes of 58 and 45 respectively, while dam B produced offspring with modes of 59 and 42. The higher number of total vertebrae centra produced by dam B was associated with additional abdominal and/or transitional vertebrae. The completion of formation in different post‐cranial axial skeletal parts are either bi‐ or unidirectional, and the initiation of formation is site specific for each skeletal part with some inter‐part similarities. Further, the present results may suggest that there has been a maternally driven selection for more abdominal vertebrae associated with a higher number of total vertebrae, and more tail fin lepidotrichia associated with a lower number of total vertebrae. These changing meristic counts may impact on important fitness‐related traits, such as fecundity and swimming ability, making the present findings relevant for both ecological and aquaculture sciences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Morphometric characteristics of fishes were observable characteristics that are set of largely statistical methods used for examining variations in body size and shape. The objectives taken for the current study were to examine the complete morpho-biology of Schizothorax richardsonii from three major snow-fed rivers of the Kumaun Himalaya in Uttarakhand, India, and to establish the statistical relationship among various morphological characteristics related to body size and fin shape. In this study 120 fish specimen including 66 male and 54 female were studied for one year. Twelve distinct morphometric and five meristic counts had been examined in percentage of their body length and head length respectively. For biostatistics, the data was analysed by using various statistical methods including summary statistics, correlation, PCA analysis, Barlett’s test of sphericity, and multiple linear regression. Fish samples studied were found within the range of 17.7 – 42.2 cm in TL and BW from 60 - 780 gm. Morphological characteristics had high coefficient of correlation (r ≥ 0.90), indicating the characters' strong relationship, with the highest correlation (r = 0.99). Additionally, the coefficient of determination (R² ) value was found within the range of 0.62 to 0.99, which shows a significant relationship between the morphometric characteristics. PCA analysis revealed the major significance found among parameters, together with regression analysis. This study will provide a baseline data and a valuable insight into the population dynamics, and may contribute to the development of more effective strategies for the management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Environmental interactions have long been considered an important factor in morphological differentiation in fish species. This study evaluated the morphological variations in Ethmalosa fimbriata from three water bodies (Qua Iboe estuary, Escravos estuary, and Lagos lagoon) adjoining the Gulf of Guinea, Nigeria. Fish samples were collected with the assistance of fishers using nets and were taken to the laboratory, where they were identified. Morphological evaluations were thereafter made on a total of 450 samples, comprising 150 random samples from each water body. Fish from the Qua Iboe estuary and Lagos lagoon shared the most morphometric characteristics (weight, standard length, dorsal fin base, and caudal peduncle length) that were significantly different (P< 0.05) from those in the Escravos estuary. The length-weight regression of E. fimbriata can be described by the following equation: W = 0.163TL2.7078, W = 0.1915TL1.4322, and W = 0.2039TL1.4394 for Qua Iboe estuary, Escravos estuary, and Lagos lagoon, respectively. The regression coefficient b revealed that all three populations of E. fimbriata had a negative allometric growth pattern. Fish samples from the Lagos lagoon had the highest condition factor (1.01±0.02) while those from the Escravos estuary had the least (0.79±0.02). Conclusively, the study revealed that E. fimbriata from the Escravos estuary was less fit compared with the other water bodies. This may be attributed to crude oil pollution, overfishing, and frequent water disturbance by vessels. The data generated is critical to understanding population dynamics and further contributing to sustainable fisheries practices, management, and conservation efforts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current study investigates the morphometric and meristic characteristics of a small indigenous freshwater balitorid, Triplophysa marmorata, thriving in Manasbal Lake, Kashmir, India. The research involved the collection of 360 samples of Triplophysa marmorata from Manasbal Lake. A detailed investigation was carried out on 18 morphometric and 6 meristic characters of Triplophysa marmorata specimen whose length ranged from 28.66 to 164.1 cm. The analysis revealed that the morphometric measurements were dependent on body size and there was a gradual increase in body length. Regression analysis was performed between the independent variables TL and the dependent variables viz. SL, FL, PrAL, PrVL, PrDL, BD, HL, CFL, PFL and PVL as well as between the dependent variables HL and the dependent variables ED, SnL, PrOL and PoL. The results indicated a positive relation between various morphometric characters and both TL and HL, displaying correlations that ranged from medium to high strength. On the other hand the fish showed constant meristic characters where there was no change in meristic counts with the increase of body length. The fin formula is derived as D 6–9; P 8–10; V 6–7; A 4–6; C 13–18. The findings demonstrated characteristic morphometric traits exclusive to Triplophysa marmorata in Manasbal Lake establishing crucial data for future investigations into the biological dynamics and conservation objectives pertaining to the fish.

The present study aimed to provide data on the effect of the High Dam on the morphological and meristic characteristics of Lates niloticus from two different Egyptian freshwater environments; Lake Nasser in Aswan City and the River Nile in Assiut City, Egypt. Therefore, twenty-six specimens of L. niloticus were collected from each site. The morphological characteristics and related index ratio to the standard length were determined. The results showed that the fish specimens from Lake Nasser were longer (mean 30.5± 8.8cm TL) than those from the Nile River (27.6± 4.2cm TL), and a strong correlation was detected between the different morphometric parameters to the standard length with different morphometric indices. The t-test showed significant differences between the total length, predorsal fin distance, postdorsal fin distance and prepectoral fin distance (P< 0.01). The means of indices related to the standard length, total length, predorsal fin distance, postdorsal fin distance, and prepectoral fin distance of L. niloticus collected from Lake Nasser are about 118.2, 44.2, 81.6, and 32.9 % SL, respectively, and are larger than the same indices of L. niloticus collected from the Nile River in Assiut City (109.3, 40.5, 77.0 and 26.7% SL, respectively). On the other hand, the other morphometric and all meristic parameters for the two locations showed insignificant differences. These findings suggest that differences in some morphometric characters may be due to the biometry of the species being influenced by the differences in the environments of Lake Nasser and the River Nile. Therefore, the continuous study of morphological features, that are related to the dams' constructions, environmental changes, as well as genetic confirmation, is recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was carried out on the comparative evaluation of morphometric characteristics of Mullet species to discriminate them. Several resulting morphometric variables were considered important for species differentiation. The mean, range and coefficient of variance for the 34 morphometric characters for specimen's relationship are greater values have been marked with FL/SD, LFIRD/SD, LSECD/SD and SNLANL/SD. The discriminant analysis generated 4 roots, the former exhibiting 92.11% of the total variation and the latter two explaining 96.46% of the total variation. A higher modal value for rays on the pelvic fin (15 rays) was observed in E. vaigiensis, whereas the lower value (11 rays) was observed in P. tade. A higher modal value for anal fin rays (9 rays) was observed in P. parsia and M. cephalus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Species identification is a preliminary step in research work and considered invaluable in systematic classification, management and species appreciation. Among the indigenous ornamental varieties, cyprinids are one of the highly demanded fish in both local and export markets. Availability of accurate morphological and meristic data aids in proper identification and distinction of the species from similar taxa. A total of 120 specimens belonging to 12 genera of family Cyprinidae were assessed to describe the morphological variations. 19 morphometric and 9 meristic characters were analyzed for all the species. The standard length values observed were as follows: Dawkinsia apsara, 49.30 to 57.80 mm; D. assimilis, 62.87 to 81.69 mm; D. denisonii, 38.20 to 40.00 mm; D. filamentosa, 55.40 to 59.80 mm; Devario malabaricus, 53.50 to 59.30 mm; Garra bicornuta, 70.60 to 75.30 mm; G. mullya, 63.30 to 78.40 mm; Haludaria fasciata, 28.40 to 31.50 mm; Laubuka dadiburjori, 21.80 to 22.10 mm; Pethia setnai, 41.3 to 44.5 mm; Puntigrus tetrazona, 35.50 to 37.50 mm; and Tor malabaricus, 163 to 170 mm. Enumeration of several meristic characters including fin-ray-count of dorsal, pectoral, pelvic, anal and caudal fins; and transverse scales on the body was undertaken to differentiate among the species under study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mudskippers have a unique adaptation allowing them to live on the land and commonly inhabiting the mangrove ecosystem. A fundamental study on the Blue-spotted mudskippers, Boleopthalamus boddarti were purposely to identify the species through morphometric and meristic characteristics, observation on the gonad organs as well as to correlate with their length-weight relationship. Collection of B. boddarti (n=72) from Matang Perak, Pendas Johor and Pekan Pahang was conducted using hand and net. Data collection on seventeen morphometric and seven meristics characters, length and weight, and pictorial documentation on male and female gonads were conducted. The means of each characteristic were estimated by using analysis of Variance (ANOVA) with P

Indonesia is the largest exporter of eel to consumer countries such as European, America, Taiwan, Japan, South Korea, and the Middle East. Eels are catadromous fish that are in the growth phase in fresh waters and the development phase is in marine waters. Meristic measurement is done by counting the spine (vertebrates). Eel morphometric measurements include TL (Total Length), HL (Head Length), PDL (Pre-Dorsal Length), PAL (Pre-Anal Length) and ADL (Ano-Dorsal Length). The purpose of this study was to analyze the morphological, morphometric, and meristic diversity of intraspecies between populations. Based on the research, the samples identified were morphologically almost the same between the populations, this was seen from the color patterns in the form of plain black or brown and short fins. The morphometric and meristic measurements in the 3D distribution plot still appear to be clustered in one population, while in the dendrogram clade, one species is still congregated in each. The results of the interpretation of the matrix plot of the lowest diversity are the length and number of anodorsal vertebrate segments. This observation can be concluded that the TL and TV of the eel varied, while the PDL, PAL, PDV, PAV, and ADV showed the intraspecies character of A. bicolor. This is because the distribution of A. bicolor eels that inhabit the waters of Java Island is widely distributed and random (panmitic). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Paradise threadfin a species from the Perciformes order and polynemidae family is one of the commercially important fishes in the south-west coastal region of Bangladesh. The study was conducted to know the morphometric and meristic characteristics of this fish species. A total 120 fish samples were collected from May 2021 to April 2022 ranging from 11.2-23.5 cm TL and 9.77-100.87 g BW. The fin formula was: D1: 7; D2: 14-16; P1: 15-16/VII; P2: 6 -9; A: 14-15; C: 16-18. Off the LWRs equations, BW = 0.0028×FL3.55 was the well-expressed model depending on the largeness of the R2 value. The value of slope (b) ranging from 3.07 to 3.55 indicates a positive allometric growth pattern. The LLRs were highly correlated (R2=0.917) and regression of TL vs FL, SL, and Pr2ndDL showed the best-fitted model among the 8 equations. The correlations among 45 different LLRs, 37 correlations showed a very high positive correlation (r = 0.91-0.99) whereas, eight LLRs exhibited a high positive correlation (r = 0.84-0.90). This study will support future studies for the management of P. paradiseus in the coastal regions and the mangrove adjacent rivers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The freshwater ichthyofauna of Wallacea is diverse and understudied. A baseline survey of Bolano Sau Lake in Parigi Moutong District, Central Sulawesi Province, Indonesia in 2019 found an eleotrid goby (local name payangka) with characters conforming to the genus Giuris, long considered monophyletic as G. margaritacea/G. margaritaceus but recently found to comprise at least eight species. This study focused on the molecular (DNA barcoding) identification and phenotypic characters of the payangka. Methods: Payangka samples were collected from August to December 2019 in collaboration with local fishermen, weighed and measured, and preserved in 75% ethanol. Length, weight, sex (n=111) and 17 morphometric characters/six meristic counts (n=42) were recorded. DNA barcoding was performed on a fin clipping preserved in 96% ethanol. Homologous nucleotide sequences were obtained from public (GenBank and BOLD) databases, analysis conducted in MEGA X, and phylogenetic trees edited in the Interactive Tree of Life (iToL). Results: Within the deeply divided Giuris clade, the payangka sequence resolved into a sub-clade identified as Giuris laglaizei (Sauvage 1880), a recently resurrected taxon, based on a sequence provided by Philippe Keith. The length-weight relationship (L = 0.0087∙W3.162) indicated mildly allometric positive growth. Size distribution differed significantly between male and female fish with significantly larger mean size of males (13.56 cm) than females (11.62 cm). The meristic formula was: D VI-I,8 A I,8 P 13 V I,5 C15. Phylogenetic analysis indicated four Giuris species in wetlands around Tomini Bay and five in Sulawesi. Conclusions: This first record of G. laglaizei in Indonesia advances knowledge of Wallacean and Indo-Pacific Gobiiformes biogeography and highlights the need for a revision of the conservation status of the taxa currently grouped under Giuris margaritacea/G. margaritaceus in the IUCN Red List and FishBase databases. The data will inform biodiversity and fisheries management at local and regional levels.

This study aimed to evaluate morphological differences between cultured and wild common carp, Cyprinus carpio L. Wild specimens were collected from fishers operating in the waters of the Shatt al-Arab River, Basrah, Iraq, while cultured specimens were obtained from the Aquaculture Unit of the Marine Science Centre, University of Basrah, Basrah, Iraq. Significant changes were detected in all eight morphometric and three meristic characters measured and counted. Boxplots by habitat and variable showed high divergence between the populations. The meristic counts were also higher in the cultured population, and, ultimately, the two populations diverged.

The European sprat (Sprattus sprattus) represents the unit stock shared among the Black Sea countries. It has a key role in the Black Sea ecosystem and is determined by its importance from both a commercial and an ecological point of view. Up to now, there are few studies on the meristic, morphometric and genetic characteristics of this species. In this study, the species were specified and studied for meristic, morphometric and genetic characteristics. Mitochondrial gene regions which 16S rRNA and cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI), were studied and compared with some of the family Clupeidae species in the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) and the phylogenetic relationship was examined. A total of 14 haplotypes were determined for the mitochondrial COI gene region and 3 haplotypes were determined for the 16S rRNA gene region. This study will contribute to the sustainable management of this species as well as be a basis for future studies.

Background: The freshwater ichthyofauna of Wallacea is diverse and understudied. A baseline survey of Bolano Sau Lake in Parigi Moutong District, Central Sulawesi Province, Indonesia in 2019 found an eleotrid goby (local name payangka) with characters conforming to the genus Giuris, long considered monophyletic as G. margaritacea/G. margaritaceus but recently found to comprise at least eight species. This study focused on the molecular (DNA barcoding) identification and phenotypic characters of the payangka. Methods: Payangka samples were collected from August to December 2019 in collaboration with local fishermen, weighed and measured, and preserved in 75% ethanol. Length, weight, sex (n=111) and 17 morphometric characters/six meristic counts (n=42) were recorded. DNA barcoding was performed on a fin clipping preserved in 96% ethanol. Homologous nucleotide sequences were obtained from public (GenBank and BOLD) databases, analysis conducted in MEGA X, and phylogenetic trees edited in the Interactive Tree of Life (iToL). Results: Within the deeply divided Giuris clade, the payangka sequence resolved into a sub-clade identified as Giuris laglaizei (Sauvage 1880), a recently resurrected taxon, based on a sequence provided by Philippe Keith. The length-weight relationship (L = 0.0087∙W3.162) indicated mildly allometric positive growth. Size distribution differed significantly between male and female fish with significantly larger mean size of males (13.56 cm) than females (11.62 cm). The meristic formula was: D VI-I,8 A I,8 P 13 V I,5 C15. Phylogenetic analysis indicated four Giuris species in wetlands around Tomini Bay and five in Sulawesi. Conclusions: This first record of G. laglaizei in Indonesia advances knowledge of Wallacean and Indo-Pacific Gobiiformes biogeography and highlights the need for a revision of the conservation status of the taxa currently grouped under Giuris margaritacea/G. margaritaceus in the IUCN Red List and FishBase databases. The data will inform biodiversity and fisheries management at local and regional levels.

This study aimed to determine some morphometric and meristic characteristics of individuals belonging to Alburnus sellal Heckel, 1843 species, which was caught from Özlüce Dam Lake, the mainstream of which is Peri Stream. Some morphometric features and their ratios to each other in 135 A. sellal individuals were calculated as mean, maximum, minimum, standard deviation, standard error, and coefficient of variation. In addition, the percentile ratio of some body measurements to standard length, the regression equations, and the correlation coefficients were calculated, and it was determined that there were strong positive relations. In meristic features, lateral line (80-88) and the number of scales in the transversal direction (13-17/5-7), the number of simple and soft rays on the fins (dorsal III/8-9, ventral I-II/8-9, pectoral I/14-17, anal III/11-15), the number of rakes in the first-gill arch (13-18), the row and number of pharyngeal teeth (2.5-5.2) by being detected, descriptive features of the species were determined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thynnichthys thynnoides is a freshwater fish found in Kebun Nopi Lake. This fish has economic value and is often caught by fishermen. A study aims to determine the growth pattern of T. thynnoides. The study used a survey method. Sampling was carried out 4 times from March-April 2022. The results showed that 107 fish captured consist of 39 females and 68 males. T. thynnoides from the Danau Kebun Nopi has TL 83-165 mm, SL 58-130 mm, HDL 18-30 and weight 5,61-42,04 gr. The meristic characteristic of the fish were as follow: D.I.8-10, P.10.4-7, V.1.7-8, A.1.5-7, C.2.16-18, 20-22 pre-dorsal fin scale, 44-48 around the body scale, 14-20 caudal peduncle scale and 57-60 lateral line scale. The relationship between length and weight of females showed positive allometric (b=3,26) and males showed negative allometric (b=2,62). The condition factors from 0,6854-1,2858 where females were generally in better condition than the males. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Walking sharks are endemic to the New Guinea-Australian region, inhabiting shallow reef ecosystems. In Papuan waters there are four species of walking sharks, including Hemiscyllium galei. This research investigated ecological and biological aspects of H. galei in Doreri Bay near Manokwari, West Papua Province. The samples used in this study were collected from two locations in the waters of Doreri Bay, namely the islands of Arowi and Nusmapi between September and November 2020. This research was conducted using underwater visual census (UVC) during nighttime. Observations were made at two locations covering a total area 9,000 m2. A total of 10 individuals (7 males and 3 females) of H. galei were collected during the study. They were identified as distinct individuals based on spot shapes on the pectorals. All of them were then measured their morphometric parameters including total length, precaudal-fin length, head length, and body weight. After measurements were taken, all individual sharks were safely released back into their habitat. Morphometric measurements showed the total length of individual walking sharks obtained was no more than 75 cm for both male and female individuals. The abundance estimates of H. galei at Arowi and Nusmapi were 13,33 ind.ha-1 and 8,88 ind.ha-1 respectively. Analysis of length-weight relationship showed a negative allometric growth pattern, where body length growth was faster than weight gain. Based on the present study, walking sharks probably occupies only a limited area in Doreri Bay, and are therefore very vulnerable to the daily activities of humans living in the vicinity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies on the yellowstripe scad Selaroides leptolepis (Cuvier and Valenciennes, 1833) , a commercially important commodity in Southeast Asia, emphasized the strengthening of management programs due to overexploitation of populations as reported from numerous fishing grounds. S. leptolepis from the Tropical Western Pacific (TWP) was previously identified to compose two allopatric mtDNA lineages – Asian and Australian, thus emerging the need to determine morphological distinctness to facilitate the management efforts. This study assessed the morphological variation of the two genetic lineages using integrated morphometrics. One hundred forty-three S. leptolepis individuals collected throughout TWP were subjected to (1) traditional lineal morphometrics with meristics, (2) landmark-based truss, and (3) geometric morphometrics. Principal component analysis (PCA) revealed highly overlapped ordination diagrams on all three techniques, which indicated minimal differentiation in the morphometries. Discriminant function analysis (DFA) showed satisfactory accuracy (92.2%–94.9%) in identifying Asian individuals, yet poor accuracy (47.6%–50.0%) towards determining Australian individuals. Cluster Analysis (CA) suggested K = 1 morphological group based on geometry while K = 2 groups according to the distance-based lineal and truss morphometrics. However, further validation indicated that cluster memberships were mixed and poorly reflected the a priori groupings. Herein, combinative results indicated the existence of a single morphological unit in S. leptolepis , which supported that such groups are genetically distinct yet morphologically indistinguishable cryptic lineages. These findings serve as essential groundwork for the formulation of management strategies for the species given their economic relevance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the crustacean species caught by Senggarang fishermen in Dompak Waters, Tanjungpinang City is the red swimming crab (Thalamita spinimana). The morphometric and meristic studies of red crab have not been widely carried out. Certainty of morphometric and meristic characters could characterize the taxonomic certainty of a species. This study aims to examine the morphometric and meristic characteristics of red swimming crab in Dompak Waters, Tanjungpinang City, Riau Islands Province. Sampling was carried out following the trip of Senggarang fishermen that caught red swimming crab with trap in Dompak Waters, conducted in April and May 2022 using the census method (by taking all the samples). The growth of female red crabs has 1 positive allometric character, namely carapace width and weight, the remaining nine other characters are negative allometric. The relationship status of morphometric characters in female red swimming crabs has a low, medium, strong relationship and the relationship status of morphometric characters in male red swimming crabs has a very low, low and very strong relationship. Meristic calculations on red swimming crabs have 6-11 spines on the profundus. The number of spines on the carpus 6-8 spines. The number of spines on 4-6 spines. The number of spines on the anterolateral left and right carapace is 5 spines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the endemic freshwater fishes in Danau Sentarum National Park (DSNP) is Leptobarbus melanopterus which has high economic value for both commercial and collection purpose. However, the overfishing of L. melanopterus running over decades with harmful catch tools is worried could contribute to the population decline in the future. At the same time, this species has never been cultured and fishermen catch directly in the habitat on a daily basis. This research was aimed to identify the morphological and anatomical characters of L. melanopterus. All samples were collected from three different sites in DSNP and measured its morphological and anatomical sizes manually. The results showed that the length of mandibula barbel was the distinguishing character between females and males, with loading score of 0.81. Most meristic variables showed no difference between two sexes. In terms of anatomical measurements, L. melanopterus females had larger gill sizes than males, including gill raker, gill arch and fill filament. Our findings signify the thorough morphological and anatomical sizes of L. melanopterus which are important in identifying fish stock, growth pattern and sexual dimorphism for future culture management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pennahia anea is among of the demersal fish landed at Asemdoyong Fish Auction Centre, Pemalang. P. anea doesn't show sexual dimorphism, so that other characters are needed to differentiate male and female individuals, i.e. truss morphometric and meristic characters. Previous studies have shown that truss morphometric and meristic can differentiate between male and female individuals. This study aims to describe the morphometric and meristic truss characters and determine the truss morphometrically and meristic characters that distinguish between males and females of Pennahia anea. The research used a survey method with a purposive random sampling technique. Male and female individuals of P. anea were examined based on their meristic and truss morphometric characters. The data were analyzed statistically using Mann Whitney non-parametric test. The result proved that male and female were significantly different in seven out of the 31 truss distances. Male individuals had a larger size than female individuals in three truss distances. In contrast, the male had a smaller size than the female individuals in four out of seven truss distances that distinguish both sexualities. The soft fin radius of the ventral fin was significantly different between male and female of P. anea. It could be concluded that male and female individuals of Pennahia anea have different truss distances and meristic characters with seven truss distances and one meristic character are different

This study was conducted to investigate some morphometric and meristic parameters of anchovies Engraulis encrasicolus caught in the Moroccan Atlantic coast. The fish samples were monthly collected from commercial catches between January to May 2017. 344 individuals were collected from the principal ports of the Moroccan Atlantic Ocean, with significant climatic changes and different geographical situations. The ports under study are: Larach, Assilah, Casablanca, Agadir, and Laâyoune. To study the possibility of local disparity, two nearby ports were chosen, Larach and Assilah, with a distance less than 50 km. An abundance of females was observed for all samples, with a maximum total length of 144 mm. Twenty-two morphometric characters were measured, and four meristic characters were counted for every individual. The correlation test results showed a strong correlation between the total length and the other morphological characters, except those related to the head of the individuals. A significant difference was found for all variables concerning the three factors: age, sex and port. After studying the variation of individuals with the port factor, all the samples overlap, so we couldn't distinguish a different group along the two axes. These results are consistent with the meristic study results. Comparing our results with those of other researchers, it appears that the morphological variation found is mainly related to environmental changes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to compare morphological variation of the two populations of the Eurasian perch (Perca fluviatilis L., 1758) from the Anzali wetland and Chamkhaleh River downstream by sampling 20 specimens from each in 2006. A total of 38 morphometric and 13 meristic characters were measured and counted. To eliminate the effects of allometric growth patterns the morphometric characteristics were standardized. The results showed a significant difference between studied populations in some morphometric and meristic traits (P

Background: The freshwater ichthyofauna of Wallacea is diverse and understudied. A baseline survey of Bolano Sau Lake in Parigi Moutong District, Central Sulawesi Province, Indonesia in 2019 found an eleotrid goby (local name payangka) with characters conforming to the genus Giuris, long considered monophyletic as G. margaritacea/G. margaritaceus but recently found to comprise at least eight species. This study focused on the molecular (DNA barcoding) identification and phenotypic characters of the payangka. Methods: Payangka samples were collected from August to December 2019 in collaboration with local fishermen, weighed and measured, and preserved in 75% ethanol. Length, weight, sex (n=111) and seventeen morphometric characters/six meristic counts (n=42) were recorded. DNA barcoding was performed on a fin clipping preserved in 96% ethanol. Homologous nucleotide sequences were obtained from public (GenBank and BOLD) databases, analysis conducted in MEGA X, and phylogenetic trees edited in the Interactive Tree of Life (iToL). Results: Within the polyphyletic Giuris clade, the payangka sequence resolved into a sub-clade identified as Giuris laglaizei (Sauvage 1880), a recently resurrected taxon, based on a sequence provided by Philippe Keith. The length-weight relationship (L = 0.0087∙W3.162) indicated mildly allometric positive growth. Size distribution differed significantly between male and female fish with significantly larger mean size of males (13.56 cm) than females (11.62 cm). The meristic formula was: D VI-I,8 A I,8 P 13 V I,5 C15. Phylogenic analysis indicated four Giuris species in wetlands around Tomini Bay and five in Sulawesi. Conclusions: This first record of G. laglaizei in Indonesia advances knowledge of Wallacean and Indo-Pacific gobioid biogeography and highlights the need for a revision of the conservation status of the taxa currently grouped under Giuris margaritacea/G. margaritaceus in the IUCN Red List and FishBase databases. The data will inform biodiversity and fisheries management at local and regional levels.

Objective: Understanding intraspecific phenotypic plasticity is a prerequisite to fish stock identifi¬cation and sustainable fisheries management. In this study, we assessed intraspecific phenotypic plasticity in terms of meristic and morphometric characters of wild populations of elongate glassy perchlet, Chanda nama from two different rivers, namely Madhumati River Narail (MRN) and Tulshiganga River Jaypurhat (TRJ), and an ox-bow lake, Jhapa Baor Jashore (JBJ) in Bangladesh. Materials and Methods: In this study, six meristics, 15 conventional morphometrics, and 23-truss-based morphometrics were subjected to a one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), followed by the Tukey-HSD test. The mean values of three meristic counts and nine conventional and 12 truss-based morphometrics demonstrated significant differences in the ANOVA test. Furthermore, principal component analysis (PCA) and discrimination function analysis (DFA) were performed separately using conventional and truss-based morphometric data. Results: In PCA analysis, four principal components were extracted and cumulatively demon¬strated 51.848%. On the contrary, two discriminant functions (DF1, 63.5%; DF2, 36.5%) resulted from DFA analysis. In the bi-plot alignment from the discriminant space, all individuals were exceedingly separated among the three inhabitants. A dendrogram developed using conventional and truss morphometric characters confirmed that two clusters were formed among three pop¬ulations. The TRJ population formed a distinct cluster, and the JBJ population formed a different cluster with a subcluster of MRN. In the discriminant function analysis, precise classification out¬comes displayed 82% of individuals into their unique populations, whereas 66.9% of individuals were categorized as a cross-validated assemblage. Conclusion: The baseline information resulting from the current study would be useful for envi¬ronmental studies and further conservation of glassy perchlet populations in Bangladesh. [J Adv Vet Anim Res 2020; 7(4.000): 585-596]

The purpose of this study was to determine the morphometric and meristic characteristics of mackerel the Sunda Strait. The method used was the survey method. A simple random sampling technique was used to determine the sample. The morphometric characteristics measurements covered the length, snout, dorsal fin, and tail. The meristic measurements covered the number of fish body parts, namely the spines on the fins. The data obtained in this study were analyzed using a t-test to find out the real differences in each morphometric and meristic character with different body weights and sexes. The results showed that the weight affects the morphometric size of a fish where the studied samples had the same meristic characteristics. Analisis Karakter Morfologi Ikan Tenggiri (Scomberomorus commerson Lac., 1800) di Perairan Selat Sunda Abstrak: Tujuan penelitian ini adalah untuk mengetahui karakter morfometrik dan meristik pada ikan tenggiri di Perairan Selat Sunda. Metode yang digunakan dalam penelitian ini adalah metode survei. Teknik pengambilan sampel yang digunakan adalah simple random sampling. Pengukuran karakter morfometrik meliputi panjang standar, moncong, sirip punggung, dan ekor. Pengukuran meristik meliputi jumlah bagian tubuh ikan yaitu jari-jari serta duri pada sirip. Data yang didapatkan dari penelitian ini dianalisis dengan uji untuk mengetahui perbedaan yang nyata pada setiap karakter morfometrik dan meristik dengan bobot tubuh dan jenis kelamin yang berbeda. Hasil penelitian diperoleh bahwa bobot berpengaruh terhadap ukuran morfometrik suatu ikan dan sampel yang diteliti memiliki karakter meristik yang sama.

The Sexual dimorphism (SD) in body size is very common among the scorpions. In this study, the SD was investigated in two aspects of size and shape in the genus Odontobuthus Vachon, 1950 as a small genus of the family Buthidae. This genus has six fossorial species of which four are distributed in Iran. For this purpose, 43 morphometric variables, consisting of 38 metric measurements and five meristic characters were digitized in the six species, O. bidentatus, O. doriae, O. tavighiae, O. tirgari, O. sp.1 and O. sp.2. The results show that Sexual Size Dimorphism (SSD) were significant in three species: O. doriae, O. tavighiae and O. sp.2. While O. sp.1 represented a SD for more aspects of shape, O. bidentatus did not show a significant SD for all studied traits. The amount of SD in size and shape were not the same in different species. The results showed that males have larger metasoma than females even when they are pulled to the same size. Having larger metasoma may correspond to a more efficient performance during mating, predation or combat with other males, so it should be under a high sexual selection. Type II ANOVA showed a significant interaction between species and sex for shape, but not for size. It suggests that the evolution of SD for size has been in parallel for all studied species, while it has been in different directions for shape. Among meristic variables, only the number of pectin denticles were sexually dimorphic, with males having more denticles than females in all studied species.

Chaetodon auriga and Chaetodon vagabundus are popular marine aquaria fish from Cahetodontidae family. Both species show subtle morphological variations, especially in juvenile stages, which might lead to misidentification. Additional morphological characteristics, such as truss morphometric, are valuable characters for species identification in Chaetodontidae. This study aimed to evaluate morphological differences between Chaetodon auriga and C. vagabundus based on truss morphometric characters. The study is expected to provide new morphometric characters for Chaetodon auriga and C. vagabundus differentiation on the southern coast of West Java, Indonesia. Fish samples were collected from Ujunggenteng and Taman Manalusu Beach. The specimens were identified based on morphological characteristics and referred to the characters available in the literature. Truss morphometric characters were measured using callipers with an accuracy of 0.01mm and convert to ratio values to obtain constant value. The data were analyzed statistically using the Mann-Whitney test in SPSS software packages. The result showed that five truss morphometric characters were significantly different between C. auriga and C.vagabundus. This study concluded that C. auriga and C. vagabundus could be differentiated using truss morphometric character. This study provides five new morphometric characters for species differentiation in fish species, especially between C. auriga and C. vagabundus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The population structure of Barbodes carnaticus species was studied using conventional (based on body morphometrics and meristic) and image-based analysis (truss network system) methods. The study was carried out with four stocks, namely Karnataka (KA) and Tamil Nadu (TN) stocks from the River Cauvery, Kerala (KE) stock from the River Chalakudy and farm-reared stock (CI) from Central Institute of Freshwater Aquaculture, Bangalore. A total of 27 morphometric, 9 meristic and 30 truss measurements were used in the study for the stock structure. Fifteen landmarks were used to generate 30 truss distance measurements. The principal component analysis (PCA), factor analysis (FA), discriminant function analysis (DFA) and cluster analysis (CA) were deployed to determine the variation using both the conventional and truss variables. Variations (86.9%) among the morphometric characters were explained by five principal components, while four principal components explain 96.01% of the variation among the truss distances. DFA using conventional method correctly classified 100% of the original grouped classes of the KA, KE and CI and 93.8% of TN stocks. The DFA employed with truss distance was classified into the stocks CI, KA, KE and TN, and the values are 100, 89.1, 8.6 and 6.1%, respectively. Factor analysis based on truss morphometry showed that factor one is related to body shape and factor two is related to head shape. Two clusters were identified in both the conventional and the truss distance analysis. Truss distance-based cluster showed that the KE and CI stocks are similar compared to the TN stock. In contrary, morphometry-based cluster showed the KE and TN stocks are similar compared to CI stock. The multivariate analysis showed that the farm-reared stock (CI) is different from the wild stocks (KA, KE and TN). This study explained that the combination of the conventional and image-based truss network analysis helps to discriminate various stocks of B. carnaticus. Based on the PCA, bilinear data models were generated using R 3.5.3 software for predicting the stock of each individual. Stock discrimination of this species was mainly due to the geographic isolation, river ecology and temperature variations. The stocks of B. carnaticus are highly exploited from the studied rivers, and the species is an important candidate for species diversification to enhance aquaculture production. Within stock variations are found to be minimum in the present morphometric study, hence the gene pool identification and marker study are required for better understanding of the stocks. This stock structure study may help to develop conservation programmes for this endemic species through a more scientific approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Meristic variation among stocks of greater lizardfish Saurida tumbil through the western coasts of the Arabian Gulf and Sea of Oman was examined using meristic characters. Statistical analysis of meristic traits proposed that there is constrained migration of populations of greater lizardfish along the western coast of the Arabian Gulf and Sea of Oman. Overlapping of the two samples from the northern part of the Arabian Gulf (Iraq‐Kuwait waters), three samples from the middle region of the Arabian Gulf (Bahrain‐Qatar‐Saudi Arabia) and two samples from the southern part of the Arabian Gulf/Sea of Oman (United Arab Emirates–Sultanate of Oman) suggested that there are three self‐recruiting populations in the studied area. Inspection of the role of each meristic trait variable to Canonical discriminant analysis showed that changes among samples appeared to be linked with the pattern of distribution of water temperature and configuration of current in both the Arabian Gulf and Sea of Oman areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A great decline has been witnessed in the minnow, Gymnostomus ariza (Hamilton, 1807) in the natural water bodies; a phenomenon that requires high consideration. Hence, the present research has been organized to focus on the quality feed production of this fish. Specimens of G. ariza from three distinct rivers (the Kangsha, the Atrai and the Jamuna Rivers in Bangladesh) were collected and subjected to form six breeding lines with15 species in each line. The progeny from these lines has been inspected phenotypically to assess the structure and shape variation of the population based on landmark and morphometric and meristic characters. After checking normality, One-way ANOVA disclosed that all morphometric, meristic and truss system measurements were dissimilar among the six lines, while line-4 exhibited significantly higher growth in all aspects. For the morphometric and truss measurements, the discriminant functions graph revealed a well-detached group of six lines indicating that the values differed significantly among the lines. The dendrogram constructed by means of morphometric and landmark data displayed one leading cluster of line-4 connected with all other lines combined. Considering the best growing line identified in the current research, the outcomes would be beneficial to promote the culture of this species, maintain proper conservation, attain successful management, and in addition, support further research with informative data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present research focuses to examine the meristic and landmark-based morphometric variations of barred spiny eel Macrognathus pancalus from four populations namely Dhakuria beel, Jessore (DBJ); Bohnni boar, Gopalgonj (BBG); the Arial kha river, Madaripur (AKRM) and the Nabaganga river, Jhenidah (NRJ) in Bangladeshi freshwaters. Six meristic counts were compared among four populations and significant differences were observed in number of caudal fin rays and number of pelvic fin rays in all meristic characters. The truss protocol was used in the present study based on six general morphometrics and fifteen truss measurements. Univariate statistics showed that five (standard length (SL), upper jaw length (UJL), lower jaw length (LJL), head depth (HD) and inter orbital (IO)) of six morphometric and eleven truss networks (viz. 2-3, 3-4, 5-6, 6-7, 7-8, 1-8, 2-8, 3-8, 3-7, 4-7 and 5-7) among fifteen truss measurements differed significantly. Cannonical discriminate function analyses were conducted among samples and the populations were fully intermingled. Pooled within-group correlation showed morphometric and landmark measurements; the first discriminant function (DF) accounted for 79%, the second DF accounted for 15.9% and third DF accounted for 5.1% of group variability. An euclidian dendrogram was prepared based on morphometric and truss measurements in four populations, where two clusters were mainly formed, in which first cluster formed by NRJ population was fully separated, and the second cluster was formed by two populations of AKRM and DBJ. Additionally, a subcluster BBG was formed with AKRM. On the basis of morphometric and truss measurements, 68.8%, 83.6%, 55.6% and 80% of original grouped cases were correctly classified in NRJ, AKRM, DBJ and BBG, respectively. These results specify the presence of different stocks of fish from four aquatic habitats. This study is highly significant for proper conservation and effective management of M. pancalus populations as well as for the scientific community for further research.

Objective: The morphometric and meristic variations of Xenentodon cancila was studied based on the landmark-based truss network system to assess their phenotypic variations among four different freshwater stocks, viz. Boluhorpur baor, Jhenaidah (BBJ) (n = 29); Bhairab River, Jashore (BRJ) (n = 34); Arial Khan River, Madaripur (AKRM) (n = 28), and Bohnni baor, Gopalganj (BBG) (n = 25) in Bangladesh. Materials and methods: Seven meristic characters were counted by using a needle. Eight morphometrics and 28 truss measurements were measured by using tpsDigV.2.1 software. In meristic characters, KruskalWallis test was performed to determine any significant differences, whereas, in morphometrics and truss measurements, univariate statistics and discriminant function analy-ses were carried out by using SPSS 22 version. Results: Significant differences were observed in four meristic characters among seven meristic characters in the KruskalWallis test. In univariate statistics, only nine characters were observed significantly different among eight morphometrics and 28 truss measurements. The contribution of three discriminant function analyses (DFA), in which first DFA showed 49.2%, second DFA showed 33%, and third DFA showed 17.8% on behalf of both morphometric and truss measurements. In discriminant space, the four stocks were clearly separated. Two clusters were formed among four stocks, where BBG formed a single cluster, whereas BBJ and BRJ aggregately formed another cluster. Additionally, AKRM formed a sub-cluster with BBJ. Conclusion: The preliminary information generated from the current study would be beneficial for further genetic studies and in the assessment of ecological impacts on X. cancila stocks in Bangladesh. [J Adv Vet Anim Res 2019; 6(1.000): 117-124]

The Sexual dimorphism (SD) in body size is very common among the scorpions. In this study, the SD was investigated in two aspects of size and shape in the genus Odontobuthus Vachon, 1950 as a small genus of the family Buthidae. This genus has six fossorial species of which four are distributed in Iran. For this purpose, 43 morphometric variables, consisting of 38 metric measurements and five meristic characters were digitized in the six species, O. bidentatus, O. doriae, O. tavighiae, O. tirgari, O. sp.1 and O. sp.2. The results show that Sexual Size Dimorphism (SSD) were significant in three species: O. doriae, O. tavighiae and O. sp.2. While O. sp.1 represented a SD for more aspects of shape, O. bidentatus did not show a significant SD for all studied traits. The amount of SD in size and shape were not the same in different species. The results showed that males have larger metasoma than females even when they are pulled to the same size. Having larger metasoma may correspond to a more efficient performance during mating, predation or combat with other males, so it should be under a high sexual selection. Type II ANOVA showed a significant interaction between species and sex for shape, but not for size. It suggests that the evolution of SD for size has been in parallel for all studied species, while it has been in different directions for shape. Among meristic variables, only the number of pectin denticles were sexually dimorphic, with males having more denticles than females in all studied species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract This study aimed to compare meristic and morphometric traits of three species of the genus Acanthobrama from Iranian inland waters collected during 2011-2017. A total 68 specimens of A. marmid from the Gamasiab River, Tigris river drainage, 85 specimens of A. microlepis from the Arasand Sefid rivers, Caspian Sea basin, and 90 specimens of A. urmianus from Mahabad-Chai and Godar-Chai rivers, Lake Urmia basin were captured by beach seine and electrofishing device. After anesthesia, the collected specimens were fixed into 10% buffered formalin and were transferred to the laboratory for further studies. Six meristic and 16 morphometric characters were counted and measured. The results showed a significant difference between the studied species in all morphometric traits except the pectoral fin length (PA. microlepis and A. urmianus were positioned in a clade. A significant difference found between the studied species in terms of the meristic traits, including the lateral line scales, dorsal-fin unbranched and branched rays, and Anal-fin branched rays (PA. urmianus differed from A. microlepis in terms of the meristic traits. Also A. microlepis was positioned in a clade based on the result of meristic traits cluster analysis.

Morphometric and meristic analysis of ladyfish, Elops machnata, were used to discriminate stocks along the Southeast and Southwest coast estuaries of India. Morphometric and meristic analyses showed a similar pattern of differentiation between E. machnata stocks and revealed a clear discreteness of two groups, an East coast (Marakanam, Parangipettai and Muthupettai) population and a West coast (Cochin) population. Higher total length (TL) (28.00 ± 7.043 cm), fork length (FL) (89.27 ± 2.201% TL) and standard length (SL) (81.77 ± 2.582% TL) were recorded in Cochin population and they were significantly different from the other three populations. Meristic counts were relatively homogenous in all the studied populations. No significant variation was found in counts of dorsal fin ray (DFR), anal fin ray (AFR), pectoral fin ray (PFR) and pelvic fin ray (PLFR). The first and second components (PCA analysis) accounted for about 92.2% of variation in all the morphometric characters. Among them, pre pectoral length (PPL) and pre dorsal length (PDL) showed high loading values in PC1 in all four populations. The overall random assignment of individuals to their original group was higher in morphometric than in meristic analysis. Such a presumption could be authenticated henceforth with molecular markers. Hence, further studies, using molecular markers are still required to precisely evaluate the genetic structure of E. machnata along the Indian coast.

Objective: Understanding intraspecific phenotypic plasticity is a prerequisite to fish stock identification and sustainable fisheries management. In this study, we assessed intraspecific phenotypic plasticity in terms of meristic and morphometric characters of wild populations of elongate glassy perchlet, Chanda nama from two different rivers, namely Madhumati River – Narail (MRN) and Tulshiganga River – Jaypurhat (TRJ), and an ox-bow lake, Jhapa Baor – Jashore (JBJ) in Bangladesh. Materials and Methods: In this study, six meristics, 15 conventional morphometrics, and 23-trussbased morphometrics were subjected to a one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), followed by the Tukey-HSD test. The mean values of three meristic counts and nine conventional and 12 trussbased morphometrics demonstrated significant differences in the ANOVA test. Furthermore, principal component analysis (PCA) and discrimination function analysis (DFA) were performed separately using conventional and truss-based morphometric data. Results: In PCA analysis, four principal components were extracted and cumulatively demonstrated 51.848%. On the contrary, two discriminant functions (DF1, 63.5%; DF2, 36.5%) resulted from DFA analysis. In the bi-plot alignment from the discriminant space, all individuals were exceedingly separated among the three inhabitants. A dendrogram developed using conventional and truss morphometric characters confirmed that two clusters were formed among three populations. The TRJ population formed a distinct cluster, and the JBJ population formed a different cluster with a subcluster of MRN. In the discriminant function analysis, precise classification outcomes displayed 82% of individuals into their unique populations, whereas 66.9% of individuals were categorized as a cross-validated assemblage. Conclusion: The baseline information resulting from the current study would be useful for environmental studies and further conservation of glassy perchlet populations in Bangladesh. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Tukey post-hoc test (Table 2) showed that the Manado and Wakatobi population had similar values for seven characters (A1, A3, B1, B3, C4, D1, and D4), while Makassar and Wakatobi populations had similar values for three characters (C1, C3, and C5); however, character D3 differed significantly between the Makassar and Wakatobi populations. The Tukey post-hoc test showed significant differences between populations, except for the character C1, the origin of the anal fin to the insertion of the anal fin (P > 0.05). [Extracted from the article]

This study was designed to assess morphological changes between cultured and wild tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus (L.). Wild fish samples were obtained from fishermen operating in the waters of the vicinity of the province Parakou, Benin in November 2014, while the cultured samples were obtained from a fish farm in the municipality of Sô-Ava in the Atlantic region of the southern part of the Republic of Benin. Significant differences were observed in all nine morphometric traits measured. Discriminant analysis of morphometric parameters showed high divergence between the populations. The meristic count, however, overlapped broadly showing no divergence between the populations. The morphometric differences between the cultured and wild tilapia, O. niloticus, could have been linked to genetic differences or environmental factors or a combination of these. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research work affirms the morphometric characters and meristic counts of Channa punctata (Bloch, 1793) in a wetland ecosystem (Gajner Beel) from the northwestern Bangladesh. A sum of 307 specimens of C. punctata were sampled intermittently from the Gajner Beel during July 2017 to December 2018, using different established fishing gears (cast net, gill net and square lift net with mesh size ranges: 1.50-2.50 cm, 1.50-2.00 cm, & ~2.00 cm, respectively). Fin rays were counted by a magnifying glass. Seven diverse morphometric lengths were assessed and BW (body weight) was weighted for each specimen. The fin formula was: dorsal, D. 30-32; pectoral, P1. 15-17; pelvic, P2.5; anal, A. 19-21; and caudal, C. (ii -iv/12-14). Minimum and maximum sizes were 5.80 and 23.00 cm in total length (TL), whereas BWs were1.96 and 126.90 g, respectively. All length-weight relationships (LWRs) were greatly significant (p < 0.001) with r² ≥ 0.986. Based on r² value, BW = 0.0112*(TL)2.98 was the most appropriate model among seven equations. Besides, based on r² values, length-length relationships (LLRs) by TL vs. SL was the finest model among six equations. These findings will help for species identification and further stock/ biomass estimation of C. punctata in the Gajner Beel or connected ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, stock discrimination of P. hamrur has been done from the Indian coast based on morphometric traits, meristic counts and otolith shape. During the study period, 370 specimens were collected from the Indian coast. A total of 14 morphometric traits, 10 meristic counts and 6 sagittal otolith shape parameters were studied for discrimination purpose. Discriminate function analysis was used to separate the stocks from different locations using Statistica (12) software. Meristic counts were the same in all the four stocks and have no role in stock separation. Differentiation of stocks was observed based on morphometric and otolith analysis. Analysis of morphometric characters showed little mixing between Mumbai and Cochin stocks. Squared Mahalanobis distance analysis showed Kakinada and Kolkata were closest stock whereas Mumbai and Kakinada were least similar stock. Among the three methods, incremental distance analysis of otolith has been found to be most suitable for separation of stock. The present study will provide basic of stock assessment and help in the susutainable management of this resource. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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In the present study, various species of Sparidaefamily in the Persian Gulf and Oman Sea and the population structure of the dominant and significant species of the genus Acanthopagrus were studied based on morphometric and meristic characteristics from June 2014 to May 2016. Fish samples were collected monthly from five different areas in the Persian Gulf and Oman Sea including Khuzestan, Bushehr, the western and the eastern parts of the Strait of Hormuz, and Sistan and Baluchistan. Overall, 54 characteristics of samples comprising 41 morphometric and 13 meristic characteristics were measured and 9 species from Sparidaefamily were identified including Acanthopagrus arabicus, Acanthopagrus bifasciatus, Acanthopagrus berda, Argirops spinifer, Crenidense crenidens, Diplodus sargus kotschyi, Sparidentex hasta, Rhabdosargus sarba and Rhabdosargus haffara. The results of Duncan’s test on data from analysis on classification of morphometric and meristic characteristics, Principal Component Analysis (PCA), Discriminant Function Analysis (DFA), the Cluster test on the morphometric and meristic characteristics and standard length showed significant differences among samples collected from different areas (p

This study represents the morphometric and meristic characters of the least concern, Trichogaster fasciata (Bloch & Schneider, 1801) including length-weight relationships (LWRs) and length-length relationships (LLRs) using a total of six linear dimensions and various meristic counts from the Gajner Beel, a large wetland ecosystem of northwestern Bangladesh. Sums of 324 specimens of T. fasciata were occasionally collected from the Gajner Beel during the period from July 2017 to June 2018, using different traditional fishing gears. Fin rays were counted with the help of a magnifying glass. Moreover, a total of seven different lengths (e.g., TL, SL, PrDL etc.) were measured using digital slide calipers, and the total body weight (BW) was weighed by an electronic balance with a 0.01 g accuracy for each individual, respectively. Minimum and maximum sizes were 3.1-8.8 cm (Mean ± SD = 5.78 ± 1.50) in total length (TL) and 0.81- 13.15 g (Mean ± SD = 4.90 ± 3.30) in body weight (BW). All LWRs were highly significant (p< 0.001) with r² values ≥ 0.960. Based on the r² value, the LWRs by BW vs. TL constitute the finest fitted model among seven equations. In addition, the LLRs also had significance with r² values ≥ 0.993. Based on the r² values, the LLRs by TL vs. SL was the best fitted model among six equations. The fin formula of T. fasciata is: dorsal, D. XV-XVII/10-14; pectoral, Pc. 9-10; pelvic, Pv. 1; anal, A. XVXVIII/15-19 and caudal, C. 18-20. This study will contribute to species identification and stock assessment of Gajner Beel and the adjacent ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]