Length-Weight and Some Morphometric Relationships of Valamugil seheli from Sudanese Red Sea Coast

Abstract

Length-weight relationship is an essential biological parameter needed to appreciate the suitability of the environment for any fish species. That is why many fishery biological studies give an importance to it. The relationships between total length and body depth and girth are very important in estimating the allowable catch and appropriate mesh size to be used in a fishery. Length-weight and some morphometric relationships (depth-total length, girth-total length and dorsal fin length and anal fin length-total length) of Valamugil seheli (local name Arabi) (Mugilidae) were calculated from the commercial catches landed at Port Sudan Fish Market from February 2010 to January 2011. The length-weight relationship was found to be stronger in females (W = 0.0073L3.1047, R2 = 0.966) than in males (W = 0.0074L3.0954, R2 = 0.926). But for sexes combined it was y = 0.007x3.114, R2 = 0.961. Values of R2 were high in all cases. The length-weight relationship indicated the cube law (W = aL3) for males, females and the sexes combined relationships. The power equations for the relationship between total length and body depth, and total length and girth, for the two sexes have higher R2 than the strait line equations and hence better describe the two relationships. The two relations were stronger in females than in males. The relationships between total length and the first dorsal fin length and anal fin length of sexes combined of V. seheli were not as strong as the total length-total weight relationship.