Assessing Sexual Dimorphism and Systematic with the Biometry and Scale Characteristics of Black Pomfret Parastromateus Niger (Bloch, 1795)
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Research in Marine Sciences 899 Volume 6, Issue 2, 2021 Pages 899 - 914 Assessing sexual dimorphism and systematic with the biometry and scale characteristics of Black pomfret Parastromateus niger (Bloch, 1795) Hina Gul Gharsheen1, Zubia Masood1,∗ , Quratulan Ahmed2, Semra Benzer3, and Asim Ullah Khan4 1Department of Zoology, Sardar Bhadur Klan Women’s University, Quetta, Balochistan, Pakistan 2University of Karachi, The Marine Reference Collection and Resources Centre, Karachi, Pakistan 3Gazi University, Gazi Faculty of Education, Department of Science Education, Teknikokullar, Ankara, Turkey 4Faculty of Fisheries and Wildlife, University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore, Pakistan Received: 2020-12-12 Accepted: 2021-04-18 Abstract The knowledge about biometric differences is essential for the description of sexual differentiation of any particular species and also has numerous implementations in fish biology. A total of 100 samples (50 males and 50 females) of Parastromateus niger (Bloch, 1795) commonly called ‘black pomfret’ were gathered from Quetta fish market of Balochistan to observe first time biometrically by calculating the morphometric, meristic and scale characteristics for examining the sexual dimorphism and phylogenetic relationship. The overall results revealed that highly strong and significant correlations (r>70; p<0.05) were observed between morphometric characteristics and total body length (TL), except diameter of eye (ED) for males, females and combined sexes, respectively. Whereas, week and insignificant correlations (r<0.50; p>0.05) were found between meristic characters and TL respectively. Moreover, significant variations (t-test; p<0.05) were found in morphological characteristics between sexes, except ED, snout length (SL) and body depth (DB) and anal fin-rays count (AFC), which reveals insignificant variation (t-test; p>0.05), respectively. However, detail microstructures of scale exhibited no structural variations between males and females; however, could be valuable in systematic study of this species. Thus, it had been concluded that variations in morphometric characteristics could be consider as valuable tools that displays the sexual dimorphism of black pomfret. Keywords: Dimorphism; Meristic; Microstructures of scale; Morphometric; Parastromateus niger; Sexual phylogeny. * Corresponding Author’s Email: [email protected] 900 Assessing sexual dimorphism and systematic with the biometry and scale characteristics of Black... / 899 - 914 1. Introduction between sexes of Upeneus vittatus on the basis of its scale shapes. Family Carangidae is composed of diverse Morphological characters can be categorized groups of economically important coastal into two types, (i) morphometric characters, pelagic fishes and include 32 genera and 140 and (ii) meristic characters (Honebrink, 2000). species, which are commonly called as, scads, Information’s regarding to morphometric and black pomfrets, pampanos, jacks, queen fish, meristic variables play a vital role in analysis and amberjacks (Nelson, 2006). Parastromateus of fish taxonomy and their phylogeny. Mostly niger belongs to this family is commonly morphometric characters can be classified into known as “Black Pomfret” commonly (i) genetically (Narrow range), (ii) intermediate abundant in Pacific Ocean and Indian ocean. It (Moderate range), and (iii) environmentally found near the muddy bottom and mainly feed (Vast range) controlled characters that also on small invertebrates and eggs and larvae of show’s a great potential value in systematic, fishes or sometimes shows seasonal variations fisheries management and assessment of in their diets (Dadzie, 2007). This species is sexual dimorphism (Quist et al., 2012; a rich source of essential protein for human Fatnassi et al., 2017; Ukenye et al., 2019; consumption. Spawning season extends from Famoofo and Abdul, 2020). These characters July to October. Body shape was laterally are now used to identify the fish body shapes compress and elongated with dark grey colored as previously described by Cabral and Murta, fins. Pectoral fins are sickled-shape, while both (2002) and Palma and Andrade (2002). Mostly, dorsal and anal fins are wedged-shape, whereas fish exhibit great variances in their external caudal fin is forked shape. The size of female morphology, even within same and different is comparatively larger than males and reaches species or sometimes also varied among many up to 30cm in TL (Tan, 2009). Whole body is populations belong to single species (Hossain covered with both cycloid and ctenoid scales. et al., 2015). Morphometric characters As several microstructures of scale including therefore can be considered as important its size, width, shapes, and types, and also tools in identification of species, genus or the various shapes of ctenii on ctenoid scale, stocks of fish (Murta et al., 2008; Imam et al., different position of focus, and arrangements of 2011). As fish species identification is quiet radii and circulii on scale had also been used by essential practices in fisheries conservation several workers like Lagler (1947); Vernerey and management; therefore, traditionally, most and Barthelat (2010), Esmaeili and Gholami works usually used only external morphological (2011), Ibanez et al. (2011), Zubia and Rehana characteristics for it (Zubia et al., 2015b); (2011), Esmaeli et al., (2012) Ambareen et al. however, sometimes these methods had been (2015), and Zubia et al. (2015a), which had also proved unreliable. Therefore, further analysis demonstrated that scale characters can be used on microstructures of fish scale has also been as viable tools in observing the phylogenetic considered to observe their significance in relationships between various fish groups, and systematic studies of various species, as well as also for sexual dimorphism. Likewise, Matondo for sexual dimorphism. Presently, no published et al. (2010), had observed sexual dimorphism literature was available on biometric data as Research in Marine Sciences 901 Figure 1. Showing the eight body regions for scale collection from Parastromateus niger well2.4. asStatistics the microstructures of scales of the 2.3. Scale sampling and Scanning Parastromateus niger. Electron Microscopy (SEM) TheAll objective Statistical of thisanalysis study ofwill data be a wasfirst approachcarried out using MS Excel and SPSS statistical package toprogram describe for morphological Windows Ver. and 26. scale characters In this study, scale samples collected from for observing their basic importance in sexual eight body regions of fishes includes, i.e., 1: dimorphism2.4.1 Linear and Regression phylogeny relationships of this species. between Morheadphometric region, 2:and Pectoral meristic region, characters 3: Abdominal with total body length (TL) of fish region, 4: Region below dorsal fin, 5: Mid- 2.Linear Materials regression and equation methods was also adopted to detectdorsal the region, propo 6:rtional Caudal relationships peduncle betweenregion, 7: all Region below anal fin, 8: Base of caudal fin 2.1.above Fish mentioned sampling morphological characteristics of this species with TL as described by Rimzhim 9: Region above pelvic fin by followed the and Goswami (2015) as mention below: A total of 100 samples of Parastomateus niger method of Zsuzsanna (2016). Then washed (50Y =females a+bX and 50 males) purchased from Fish Scales in warm water at 60°C for 3 to 4 (1)hours market of district Quetta of Balochistan from for removing mucous or dust particles from where, ‘X’ represents TL of fish, and ‘Y’ represents morphometric and meristic characters; ‘a’ June 2018 to July 2019. Then 11 morphometric scale surface. Scales were further cleaned by shows intercept, and ‘b’ represents the regression slope (Zubia et al., 2015b). and 2 meristic characters calculated by soaked in 5% KOH solution for 10 minutes and the procedures previously followed by dried on filter paper, and finally kept between 2.4.2 Correlation Coefficient (r) Manimegalai et al. (2010), and Zubia et al. two microscopic slides for prevents them for (2015b)In this bystudy, using the measuring values of board correlation with meter coefficient curling (r) wereafter airalso dry. calculated These driedbetween scales all werethese scalemorphometric and Vernier and calliper. meristic characters with TL mountedat 5% significance by using aluminum (p<0.05) stubs for observingfor Scanning the Electron Microscopy (Drill Japan JSM-6380A) strength of relationship between two variables i.e. 2.2. Morphometric measurements and analysis and finally take several images of the Meristici. r<0.50counts represents weak correlations betweenscales two as shownTL versus in Figure morph ological1. The images character were then photographed by digital attached camera, Morphometricii. r> 0.60 measurements shows moderate include, type of totalrelat ionship TL versus morphological character as shown in Figures 2, 3, 4.1-4.8, 5.1-5.8 body length (TL), standard length (STL), fork iii. r>0.70 shows stong relationships betweenrespectively. two variables TL versus morphological length (FL), head length (HL), snout length (SL), eye characterdiameter (ED), post-orbital length 2.4. Statistics (POL),whereas, pectoral variations fin betweenlength (PFL),all these anal morphometric fin and meristic variables of male and female lengthsexes of(AFL), black pomfretdorsal fin were length observe (DL), by usingbody twoAll sample Statistical t-tests analysis at 95% confidenceof data was interval carried (CI).out depth