Condition Factor and Length-Weight Relationship of Banana Mullet (Mugil bananensis) (Pellegrim, 1927) from St. Nicholas River, Bayelsa State, Niger Delta, Nigeria

Abstract

The condition factor and length-weight relationship of Liza bananensis (Banana mullet) was studied from St. Nicholas River, Bayelsa State in the Niger Delta area of Nigeria from October 2020 to September 2021. The study was necessitated by the lack of basic information of the species from the study area which is high in socio-economic importance and nutritional value to the inhabitants of the communities along the river system. The studies were carried out on the full stretch of the river. The fish species was caught with cast net. The fish specimen was identified using keys and descriptions. The total of 84 mullets, 10 (males) and 64 (females) were caught measuring 13.4 – 17 cm and weighing 39.47 -64.43g (males) and 12 – 21cm and weighing 24.25– 130.97g (females). Specimens were stored in cooler containing ice and transported to the laboratory for further analysis. The mean lengths and weights of the classes were used for data analysis, the format accepted by FISAT. The studied mean condition factor ranged from 1.61 (Combined sex), 1.68 (males) to 1.59 (females) showed that there were more females than males showing fewer males mating with more females. The degree of association between length and weight was computed from linear regression analysis. The respective exponential equation for the length weight relationship are: Combined sex, male and female Liza bananensis are: Combined sex (W 1 =0.9102(TL) 1.6908) Male (W 1 = 0.964(TL) (1.399) and Female (W1= 0.9011(TL) (1.839) respectively. The species exhibit positive isometric growth with (b=2.7) combined sex, (b=2.7) male and (b=3.0) female respectively. The length-weight relationship of the species showed positive and isometric growth with good condition factor indicating species resistance to all the negative factors of the water.