World Journal of and Marine Sciences 5 (2): 203-205, 2013 ISSN 2078-4589 © IDOSI Publications, 2013 DOI: 10.5829/idosi.wjfms.2013.05.02.66178

Length-Weight Relationship of grypus (Heckel, 1843) in Dalaki River and rufa (heckel, 1843) in Shahpur River in South of Iran

11Mehdi Bibak, Seyed Abbas Hosseini and 2 Gholam Reza Izadpanahi

1Department of Fisheries, Gorgan University of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, Gorgan, Iran 2Iran Shrimp Research Centre, Iran

Abstract: Length-weight relationships were derived for Barbus grypus (Heckel, 1843) in Dalaki River and Garra rufa (Heckel, 1843) in Shahpur River in south of Iran. The sampling was carried out at monthly intervals between April to August of 2012. A total fish 109 samples collected (57 Barbus grypus of Dalaki River and 52 Garra rufa of Shahpur River). The relationship between total length and weight was for Barbus grypus (Heckel, 1843) in Dalaki River W= 0.02 L2.93 (R2 = 0.970, n=57) and for Garra rufa (Heckel, 1843) Shahpur River W=0.012 L3.242 (R2 = 0.981, n=52). The parameter b for Barbus grypus was 2.93 and Garra rufa was 3.242. We determined a negative allometry (b<3) length-weight relationship for Barbus grypus in Dalaki river and positive allometry (b>3) length-weight relationship for Garra rufa (Heckel, 1843) in Shahpur river.

Key words: Barbus grypus Garra rufa Length-Weight Relationship Shahpur River

INTRODUCTION to convert growth-in-length equations to growth in weight in stock assessment models [7]. To estimating Shirbut, Barbus grypus (Heckel, 1843) is a large growth rates, age structure, to obtain the condition cyprinid, which occurs along the Euphrates and the of fish and comparative growth studies [8-10]. Persian Gulf are found in Khuzestan plain Tigris Rivers in In addition, these relationships contribute to the Iran, Turkey, Syria and Iraq [1]. Basin in the Gulf can be comparison of life history and morphological aspects the salty rivers, Shahpur, Dalaki and the Karun River in of populations between different regions of the same Khuzestan Dam pointed out. They are usually everything country. eater. Of , moss and high parts of plants can be The present study describes the length-weigh fed. relationship of Barbus grypus (Heckel, 1843) in Dalaki Garra Rufa a fish from the Cyprinid . River and Garra rufa (Heckel, 1843) in Shahpur River in The Garra rufa as well as another cyprinid fish Cyprinion south of Iran. macrostomum have been identified as Doctor Fish because of their medical treatment [2]. MATERIYALS AND METHODS The distribution areas of this cyprinid fish were reported as Turkey and Iraq and Iran such as Karoun, The sampling was carried out at monthly intervals Shahpur and Persian Gulf drainages [3-5]. Ecologically, between April to August of 2012. A total fish 109 samples this species can be found on the streams and rivers bed collected (57 Barbus grypus of Dalaki River and 52 Garra and also on under gravels and pebbles where they adhere rufa of Shahpur River). to submerged rocks and stones with its adhesive Dalaki River near Dashtestan city (latitude: 29°28' and apparatus located beneath the mouth opening. longitude: 51°17'). The length of Dalaki River in the The relationship between body weight and length is province Bushehr has 115 kilometers. This River is a a simple but essential in fishery management [6]. permanent river with average depth of 70 cm and bed Length-weight relationships drastically help scientists mud [11].

Corresponding Author: Mehdi Bibak, Department of Fisheries, Gorgan University of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, Gorgan, Iran. 203 World J. Fish & Marine Sci., 5 (2): 203-205, 2013

Shahpur River near Kazerun city (latitude: 29°19' 30'' Table 1: Length characteristics (cm) and weight characteristics (g) of Barbus and longitude: 50°55'). The length of Shahpur River in the grypus in the Dalaki River, Bushehr, Iran province Fars has 262 kilometers. Min. Max. Mean ± STD Length 6.6 37.8 20.3±7.52 Sampled were fixed with 10% formalin and Weight 7.04 720 194.08±211.288 transferred to the laboratory. Fishes were caught by means of scoop net with mesh size 1.5 mm (bar). For each Table 2: Length characteristics (cm) and weight characteristics (g) of Garra specimen, total length (TL), whole body wet weight (g) rufa in the Shahpur River, Fars, Iran was recorded. The length-weight relationship was min max Mean ± STD estimated by using following equation: Length 3.2 13.7 10.33±1.89 Weight 0.44 55.96 26.316±10.74 W = a Lb Table 3: Length-weight relationship of Barbus grypus (Heckel, 1843) in Dalaki River and Garra rufa (Heckel, 1843) in Shahpur River where W is the whole body weight (g), L is the total na b R2 length (mm), a is the intercept of the regression and b is Barbus grypus 57 0.02 2.93 0.970 the regression coefficient (slope) [12]. The parameters a Garra rufa 52 0.012 3.242 0.981 and b of the length-weight relationship was estimated by the least-squares method based on logarithms [13]:

Log (W) = log (a) + b log (L)

When b = 3, increase in weight is isometric. When the value of b is other than 3, weight increase is allometric (positive if b > 3, negative if b < 3). This parameters (a, b) are important in stock assessment studies [14]. Data analysis was done by Excel and SPSS 19 software.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION Fig. 1: Length-weight relationship of Barbus grypus (Heckel, 1843) in Dalaki River, Bushehr, in south of Overall 109 fish were measured. The sample size, the Iran minimum, maximum and mean length and weight (±STD) of Barbus grypus (Heckel, 1843) in Dalaki River are presented in Table 1. And the sample size, the minimum, maximum and mean length and weight (±STD) of Garra rufa (Heckel, 1843) in Shahpur River are presented in Table 2. Relationship between length-weight of Barbus grypus in Dalaki River is presented in Figure 1 and Table 3. And relationship between length-weight of Garra rufa in the Shahpur River is presented in Figure 2 and Fig. 2: Length-weight relationship of Garra rufa (Heckel, Table 3. 1843) in the Shahpur River, Fars, Iran A total 109 fish were measured. The minimum and maximum length of Barbus grypus (Heckel, 1843) The relationship between total length and weight in Dalaki River was respectively 6.6 and 37.8 (cm) and was described as: for Barbus grypus (Heckel, 1843) minimum and maximum weight was respectively in Dalaki River W= 0.02 L2.93 (R2 = 0.970, n=57) and for 7.04 and 720 (g) (Table 1). The minimum and maximum Garra rufa (Heckel, 1843) Shahpur River W=0.012 L3.242 length of Garra rufa (Heckel, 1843) in Shahpur River (R2 = 0.981, n=52). was respectively 3.2 and 13.7 (cm) and minimum and The parameter b for Barbus grypus was 2.93 and maximum weight in this river was 0.44 and 55.96 (g) Garra rufa was 3.242 (Table 3). We determined a negative (Table 2). allometry (b<3) length-weight relationship for Barbus

204 World J. Fish & Marine Sci., 5 (2): 203-205, 2013 grypus in Dalaki River and positive allometry (b>3) 6. Chien-Chung, H., 1999. The length-weight length-weight relationship for Garra rufa (Heckel, 1843) relationship of Albacore, Thunnus alalunga from the in Shahpur River. Indian Ocean. Fish. Res., 14: 87-9. 7. Bobori, D.C., D.K. Moutopoulos, M. Bekri, CONCLUSION I. Salvarina and A.P. Munoz, 2010. Length-weight relationships of freshwater fish species caught in Although there is little information about biological three Greek Lakes. J. Biol. Res., 14: 219-224. characteristics of C.c.intermedia of Iranian waters, 8. Kolher, N., J. Casey and P. Turner, 1995. present study provides basic information for fishery Length-weight relationships for 13 species of biologists and managers in this region. sharks from the western North Atlantic. Fish. Bull., 93: 412-418. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 9. Petrakis, G. and K.I. Stergiou, 1995. Weight-length relationships for 33 fish species in Greek waters. Fish. We are thankful to Iran Shrimp Research Centre. And Res., 21: 465-469. we are also thankful to the Department of Fisheries, 10. Goncalves, J.M.S., L. Bentes, P.G.L. Ribeiro, Faculty of Fisheries and Environment, Gorgan University J.A.M. Canario and K. Erzini, 1996. Weight-length of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources. relationships for selected fish species of the small-scale demersal fisheries of the south and REFERENCES southwest coast of Portugal. Fish. Res., 30: 253-256. 11. Bibak, M., M. Rakhshani, S.A. Hosseini, M. Koohani 1. Coad, B.W., 1996. A provisional annotated check list and M. Moien, 2012. Reproduction of Aphanius of the freshwater fishes of Iran. J. Bombay Nat. Hist. dispar dispar (Rüppell, 1829) in Bushehr Dalaki Soc., 76(1): 86-105. River, South of Iran. CJASR, 1(10): 54-57. 2. Undar, L., M.A. Akpinar and U.A. Yanikogl, 1999. 12. Ricker, W.E., 1975. Computation and interpretation of Doctor fish and psoriasis. The Lancet, 335: 470-471. biological statistics of fish populations. Bull. Fish 3. Abdoli, A., 2000. The Inland Freshwater Fishes of Res. Board Can., 191: 382. Iran (In Farsi). Iranian Museum of Natural and 13. Zar, J.H., 1999. Biostatistical Analysis. 4th edition. Wildlife, Tehran, pp: 378. Prentice-Hall Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, pp: 929. 4. Teimori, A., 2006. Preliminary study of freshwater fish 14. Froese, R., 1998. Length-weight relationships for diversity in Fars province. MSc thesis. Shiraz: Shiraz 18 less-studied fish species. J. Appl. Ichthyol., University, Iran. 14: 117-118. 5. Coad, B.W., 2010. Freshwater fishes of Iran. http:/ /www. Brian coad.com (accessed 18 Feb. 2010).

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