Abstract
The aim of the present study was to characterize the relationships that occur between morphometric variables of larvae of Lophiosilurus alexandri Steindachner, 1876 through their allometric growth analysis. Total length, head length and body height were correlated with standard length, head height and body height, as well as eye diameter and head height with head length. The results revealed allometric positive relation during the initial development, where the b coefficient varied between 1.10 and 2.81. The variable pre-anal distance in relation to the standard length and the snout length in relation to the head length revealed an allometric negative relation, where the b coefficient was 0.85 and 0.94, respectively.
Highlights
Analyses of morphometric measurements allow comparisons of different developmental stages between species, and with other morphologic characteristics, they are useful in species identification (Sanches et al, 1999)
According to Sato et al (1987) this species is close to extinction in the upstream region of the Três Marias reservoir in Minas Gerais
L. alexandri is a species that is still not well studied, and aspects related to its initial development are not totally understood
Summary
Analyses of morphometric measurements allow comparisons of different developmental stages between species, and with other morphologic characteristics, they are useful in species identification (Sanches et al, 1999). Lophiosilurus alexandri Steindachner, 1876 reproduces in captivity, has high commercial value in the Brazilian State of Minas Gerais (Sato et al, 2003) and has a great potential for aquaculture (Bazzoli and Godinho, 1997). According to Sato et al (1987) this species is close to extinction in the upstream region of the Três Marias reservoir in Minas Gerais. L. alexandri is a species that is still not well studied, and aspects related to its initial development are not totally understood. The. survivor of the larvae of these species regarding stocking densities and the tolerance to different salinities were already determined (López and Sampaio, 2000; Luz and Santos, 2008). The growth in different luminosity conditions and types of food, and the early development stages of the species are described in literature (Tenório et al, 2006; GuimarãesCruz et al, 2009)
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