Sexual Dimorphism, Length-Weight Relationships, Fecundity, and Diet of the Striped Eel Catfish <i>Plotosus lineatus</i> (Plotosidae) on Taiwan’s Southwest Coast

Abstract

This study of feeding guild fish from the same coast of subtropics helps to suggest conservation of fishery resources. A total of 2,537 specimens of Plotosus lineatus (Plotosidae) were collected from July 2013 to March 2019 on the coast of Taiwan. The average total body length (TL) was 23.7 cm ± 4.7 cm and 20.3 cm ± 2.9 cm, and the average body weight (W) was 94.1 g ± 59.6 g and 56.6 g ± 30.8 g among 174 males and 630 females, respectively. The LWRs of male and female were ln(W)M = 3.2914 × ln (TL) − 6.0395, and ln(W)F = 3.0917 × ln(TL) − 5.3629. The male specimens were large than female in TL and W. The average OSW/TL ratios were 0.722 ± 0.044 and 0.649 ± 0.029 among 41 male and 49 female specimens, respectively. The OSW of the male head was wider than that of the female head (F = 91.5; p P. lineatus exhibits significant sexual dimorphism. The average eggs number of each female was 2375.6 eggs/individual ± 1140.9 eggs/individual (N = 161). The major prey of P. lineatus were shrimps, crabs, and fishes; the total relative frequencies of occurrence of the prey were 57.1%, 32.6%, and 37.2%, respectively (N = 282), and their total relative abundance levels were 40.2%, 26.3%, and 25.8%, respectively (N = 445). Proper scientific knowledge management will improve the development of fisheries.