Abstract
This study was carried out to determine some bioecological characteristics of Mastacembelus mastacembelus, which is the only species of Mastacembelidae family living in Turkey. Fish samples were caught between 2014–2018 from Keban Dam Lake, one of the most important reservoirs of the upper Euphrates Basin. In totally, 348 Mastacembelus mastacembelus individuals were examined, including 178 males and 170 females. The age distributions were defined between the I–XV age groups. Total lengths ranged from 14.20 to 81.80 cm in males and from 15.60 to 77.30 cm in females. Total length–weight relationships were calculated as W = 0.0083 × TL2.6516 for males, W = 0.0043 × TL2.8310 for females and W = 0.0063 × TL2.7256 for all population, and the growth type was estimated as “negative allometric”. The von Bertalanffy growth parameters for all individuals were computed as L∞ = 90.99, k = 0.13, t0 = − 0.45. The total (Z), natural (M), fishing (F) mortality rates and exploitation rate (E) were estimated as Z = 0.313, M = 0.270, F = 0.043 and E = 0.137, respectively. The length at first capture (Lc) was found as 50.72. The optimum, maximum and economic yields were calculated as E0.5 = 0.361; Emax = 0.776; E0.1 = 0.664, respectively.
Highlights
Mastacembelids or spiny eels (Teleostei: Synbranchiformes: Mastacembelidae) are a freshwater fish family
No studies were found on the mortality and exploitation rates, the length at first capture (Lc), the length at recruitment (Lr) and yield per recruit (Y/R) of M. mastacembelus
In another study conducted in Karakaya Dam Lake, Eroğlu and Şen notified that the age distributions were as 1–9 for males (23.7–80.6 cm) and as 1–8 for females (26.6–68.5 cm)[16]
Summary
Mastacembelids or spiny eels (Teleostei: Synbranchiformes: Mastacembelidae) are a freshwater fish family. The Mastacembelidae family is distributed in the Middle East, in Southeast Asia and north of China, most of its species live in Africa. Members of this family that are anguilliform fishes are mostly river forms[2,3,4,5]. The dorsal, caudal, and anal fins of the M. mastacembelus individuals living in Africa are jointed, but in individuals living in Turkey are not integrated. They live in lotic and lentic systems where are muddy and sandy grounds which are usually plentiful in vegetation and low in elevation. No studies were found on the mortality and exploitation rates, the length at first capture (Lc), the length at recruitment (Lr) and yield per recruit (Y/R) of M. mastacembelus
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