Biological and morphological aspects of spiny eel Mastacembelus mastacembelus (Banks and Solander, 1794) inhabiting Al-Tharthar canal / Samarra, Iraq

Abstract

Biological aspects (size composition, length-weight relationship, condition factor, food habit and reproduction season), and morphological of Mastacembelus mastacembelus inhabiting Al-Tharthar canal studied during the period from April to September 2012. The growth pattern was negative allometric with (b) values for males 2.680, females 2.845 and for combined sexes 2.597. Condition factor values were lower than one, ranged from 0.183 to 0.432 with average 0.282 ±0.053 for combined sexes. Food items from stomach collected and analyzed using both points and frequency methods. Two food items found only in the diet. M. mastacembelus is a predator, the males preferring fish while the females preferring fish and crustacean (prawns). The research cover, the ratios each of sixteen morphometric measurements to standard length, and each of four morphometric measurements to head length and their linear regression equations. All the length-length relationships between standard length and the others measurements were highly correlated except head depth, body depth and body width, and for head length, head depth only.
 

Length-Weight Relationship and Condition Factor for Eight Fish Species from One Drain in Al-Alam Distric–Salah al Din Province-Iraq

“…Hussein [6] and Al-Faraji [9] found also the growth of C. auratus was negative allometric the b values were 2.870 and 3.75 respectively, while Wahab [2] and Youssef [8] noticed it positive allometric. Hamad [7] and Al-Faraji [9] referred that the growth of A. marmid, was also negative allometric, while others studies pointed it positive allometric [2,3]. Wahab [3], Hussein [6], Hamad [7] and Youssef [8] showed the b value for C. kais were 2.64, 2.61, 2.31, and 2.98 respectively.…”

“…Hamad [7] and Al-Faraji [9] referred that the growth of A. marmid, was also negative allometric, while others studies pointed it positive allometric [2,3]. Wahab [3], Hussein [6], Hamad [7] and Youssef [8] showed the b value for C. kais were 2.64, 2.61, 2.31, and 2.98 respectively. The b value for C. regium found 2.70 [7], while it found 3.353, 3.797 and 3.28 [2,3,8].…”

“…Wahab [3], Hussein [6], Hamad [7] and Youssef [8] showed the b value for C. kais were 2.64, 2.61, 2.31, and 2.98 respectively. The b value for C. regium found 2.70 [7], while it found 3.353, 3.797 and 3.28 [2,3,8].…”

“…The growth pattern for C. luteus and C. macrostomum was positive allometric, b value was 3.144 for C. luteus, 3.144, and 3.152 for C. macrostomum. The growth for C. luteus was found positive allometric [2], negative allometric [3,7] and isometric [6,8,9]. Wahab [2] and Hussein [6] noticed the growth of C. macrostomum also positive allometeric, while it was negative allometric [7][8][9].…”

“…Several studies carried out on fish growth (length-weight relationship and conduction factor) in inland water within Salah al-Din Province. [2,3] from Tuz Chi River and Tigris River Tikrit. Wahab and A lani [4,5] from Tigris River and Eastern Drain, [6] from Tigris River in Al-Door.…”