Biological Parameters of Lethrinus Nebulosus in the Arabian Gulf on the Saudi Arabian
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1 Biological parameters of Lethrinus nebulosus in the Arabian Gulf on the Saudi Arabian 2 coasts 3 ABSTRACT: 4 In the present study about 277 specimens of Lethrinus nebulosus were used to determine some 5 biological parameters which are needed in stock assessment in the region of Arabian Gulf on 6 the Saudi Arabian coasts. The period of spawning was estimated using maturity indexes to 7 April, Mai and June. This species is gonochoric, nevertheless some cases of hermaphrodism 8 are noted. The length relationships were determined showing a correlation between total 9 length and standard length, and between total length and fork length. The weight- length 10 relationship is allometric minorante. The model of Von Bertalanffy was estimated for the 11 studied species and it is as follows: Lt = 600 *(1-exp (-0.135*(t+1.69)) for both sexes, 12 Lt = 600 (1-exp (-0.166*(t+0.746)) for females and Lt = 555 *(1-exp (-0.153*(t+1.62)) for males. 13 14 Key words: Lethrinus nebulosus, Saudian coasts, Arabian Gulf, Growth, Biology, 15 Reproduction. 16 17 18 19 20 INTRODUCTION: 1 21 The biological Information on fish are needed not only in stock assessment but also in 22 evaluation of several parameters effect, such as climatic or environmental pollution, on the 23 abundance and dynamic population of different marine species. 24 The most important biological parameters to attend this aim are the fish’s growth and 25 reproduction. Bothe these parameters can be established using monthly sampled landing fish 26 during one year in order to cover the species biological cycle. 27 We chose Lethrinus nebulosus species, locally named “shaari” for two main reasons. Firstly, 28 because it is the most important fished and commercialized species in the studied region. 29 Secondly, because the biology of this species is well known in different regions rather then in 30 the Saudi Arabian coasts (in the Arabian Gulf). The knowledge of a historical data 31 specifically growth, is extremely helpful to assess the state of the stock correctly as well as to 32 survey the changes which can be related to natural parameters such as climatic or anthropic 33 changes, like pollution and overfishing. 34 Lethrinus nebulosus is a benthic fish species which is distributed from the Indo-West Pacific: 35 Red Sea, Persian Gulf and East Africa to southern Japan and Samoa [1]. It is one of the 36 Perciforme species from the Lethrinidae family. Its nourishment is based on echinoderms, 37 mollusks, crustacean and some aquatic worms and fishes. It is known by its hermaphrodism 38 [2]. 39 The first maturity size was studied and estimated for females to be 46 cm in the pacific [3] 40 and 40.8 cm in New Caledonia coasts [4]. 41 The spawning period was estimated to occur in April and Mai on Emirate coasts [5] and along 42 the year in the north of Arabian gulf [1]. 43 The determination of the fish growth is well realized by estimation of the Von Bertalanffy 44 Model. This equation was established on Kuwait coasts by [5], in Egypt by [1] and on Abu 45 Dhabi Coasts by [6]. 2 46 In the present study we are interested in Lethrinus nebulosus parameters in Arabian Gulf on 47 Saudi coasts. 48 49 MATERIALS AND METHODS: 50 1- Materials: 51 From March 2014 to February 2015, a mean number of about 25 Lethrinus fish of (table. 1) 52 were monthly obtained from commercial landing which were collected from Jubail coasts 53 (Figure 1). A total of 277 fishes were used in this study with different size ranges (Table 1). 54 On each fish the lengths (Total length, standard length and length to fork) were measured by 55 ichthyometer to the nearest mm and weight measurement (Total weight and eviscerated 56 weight) to the nearest 0.1g are realized using balance. 57 58 Fig. 1: The area of study (Saudi Arabian coasts on the Persian Gulf) 59 In the second step, scales and otoliths were collected from every specimen. Afterwards, they 60 were both cleaned with water and alcohol: therefore scales were conserved between two slides 61 and then they were numbered. Concerning Otoliths, they were labeled and stored in small 62 envelopes for future process to determine the fish age. 63 Table 1: Measurements realized on sampling on Lethrinus nebulosus from March 2014 to 64 February 2015 3 Months Number of Range of length Range of weight (g) individual (mm) March 2014 25 251- 553 166-2159 April 2014 27 224- 481 131- 1360,9 May 2014 32 184- 550 90- 2184 June 2014 20 185- 493 89- 1794 August 2014 26 205- 488 107- 1510 September 2014 29 168- 555 67- 1956 October 2014 23 177- 346 84- 583 November 2014 23 197- 507 105- 1882 December 2014 22 202- 475 121- 1623 January 2015 27 215- 580 130- 2310 February 2015 23 195- 550 89- 2241 Total 277 168- 580 67- 2310 65 66 To determine the age, otoliths and scales were examined through a reflected light stereo 67 microscope observation, by counting the increments or structure on the calcified pieces. 68 Using otoliths to identify age was not that easy, because it is so opaque and it needs much 69 preparations and materials. However, the uses of scales in ageing were easier and realizable in 70 99% of the samples. 71 We have to note that sampling in July 2014 was not accomplished due to of the summer 72 holidays, but that did not disturb the results of this work. 73 In, the third step gonads and livers were taken and weighed using a balance with 0.1g 74 precision. 4 75 The states of gonads were noted on every specimen in order to determine the sex and the 76 maturity of each specimen (Figure 2). 77 The females’ gonads are red, and the males’ are white. 78 79 Fig. 2: Example of gonads of Lethrinus nebulosus 80 81 2- Methods: 82 To determine the growth parameters (Linf, t0 and K), the Von Bertalanffy model was applied: (-k(t-t0) 83 Lt = Linf *(1-exp ) 84 Where Lt is the length at the moment t 85 Linf is the asymptomatic length, 86 t0 is the theoretical age corresponding to size 0 87 and k is the growth coefficient. 88 The adjustment of the growth curve was made with statistical software “STATISTICA”. 89 The length-weight relationship was studied according to the following equation: b 90 Wt = a*Lt 5 91 Where Wt is the total fish weight, a and b are the coefficient of weight growth and Lt is the 92 total length. 93 To study the reproduction and especially the period of spawning, the monthly evolution of 94 some reproductive indexes, shown below were used: 95 GSR= 100*(Wg/Wt) 96 HGR= 100*(Wh/Wt) 97 Where GSR is gonadosomatic report, Wg: gonad weight, Wt: total weight of the fish 98 And HSR is hepatosomatic report, Wh: livers weight 99 For other relationship curves Excel software was used. 100 101 RESULTS: 102 1- Length and length weight relationship of Lethrinus nebolosus: 103 The total length and fork length relationships and the total length and standard length are 104 isometric with a high determination coefficient (Figure 3 and Figure 4). 2,931 105 The weight length relationship is determined (Figure 5) and it is Wt = 2E-05 Lt for both 106 sexes. 107 The coefficient b= 2.931 means that Lethrinus nebolosus has an allometry minorante growth. Lt (mm) Lt = 1,103 Lf + 2,934 700 R² = 0.9961 600 500 400 300 200 100 0 Lf(mm) 0 200 400 600 108 109 Fig. 3: Relationship between total length and fork length of Lethrinus nebulosus 6 Lt (mm) Lt = 1,234 Lsd + 7,806 R² = 0.9939 700 600 500 400 300 200 100 0 Lsd(mm 0 200 400 600 ) 110 111 Fig. 4: Relationship between total length (Lt) and standard length (Lsd) of Lethrinus 112 nebulosus Wt = 2E-05 Lt 2,931 2500 R² = 0,971 2000 1500 1000 Wt (g) Wt 500 0 0 200 400 600 113 Lt (mm) 114 115 Fig. 5: Total weight- total length relationship Lethrinus nebulosus 116 2- Growth of Lethrinus nebulosus: 117 Using scales for ageing is easier than using otoliths (Figure 6). So the age length relationship 118 was determined using this method. 7 119 120 Fig. 6: a- An example of scale showing 3 ornamentations of Lethrinus nebulosus aged 3 121 years. 122 b- The extremity of scale of Lethrinus nebulosus showing the easiness of age lecture from 123 scales. 124 The equation of Von Bertalanffy which describes the length age relationship is determined for 125 Lethrinus nebulosus for both sexes (Figure 7), for females (Figure 8) and for males (Figure 9). 700 Lt = 600 *(1-exp (-0.135*(t+1.69) ) N= 274 600 500 400 300 TL(mm) 200 100 0 0 2 4 6 8 10 126 Age (an) 127 Fig. 7: Age- Length relationship of both sexes of Lethrinus nebulosus 128 8 700 Lt = 600 *(1-exp (-0.166*(t+0.746) ) 600 N= 87 500 400 300 TL (mm) TL 200 100 0 0 2 4 6 8 10 129 Age (an) 130 Fig. 8: Age- Length relationship of females of Lethrinus nebulosus 131 Lt = 555 *(1-exp (-0.153*(t+1.62) ) 600 N= 92 500 400 300 TL (mm) TL 200 100 0 0 2 4 6 8 10 132 Age (an) 133 Fig. 9: Age- Length relationship of males of Lethrinus nebulosus 134 3- Reproduction of Lethrinus nebulosus: 135 The monthly GSR evolution shows 3 different progressions: From March to April; an increase 136 of GSR, reaching the maximum value.