Otolith Biometry-Body Length Relationships in Four Fish Species (Chub, Pikeperch, Crucian carp, and Common Carp)

Abstract

Biometric data are presented for different fish species captured in four lakes of Turkey: crucian carp (Carassius gibelio), common carp (Cyprinus carpio), chub (Squalius cephalus), and pikeperch (Sander lucioperca). The length, breadth, and weight of otolith, (sagitta, asteriscus, and lapillus) were determined, and the relationships between otolith size and fork length were defined. All regressions were highly significant (P<0.05). In cyprinid fishes, (C gibelio, C. carpio, and S. cephalus), asteriscus weight had the highest coefficient of determination among the asteriscus biometrics, and the lapillus length had the highest coefficient of determination among lapillus measurements for the same species. In S. lucioperca (Percidae), sagittal otolith weight was the best predictor of fish length.