Morphologic Characteristics and Length-Weight Relationships of Sciaena umbra (Linnaeus, 1758) in the Black Sea Coast

Abstract

In this study, the morphological characteristics and length-weight relationships of Sciaena umbra (Linnaeus, 1758) belonging to the Sciaenidae family, which is represented by five species in the Mediterranean basin and two species in the Black Sea, were investigated. Sampling was carried out in the Black Sea Region (Samsun, Ordu, Giresun, Trabzon) between March 2019 and February 2020. A total 54 of individuals were sampled and 15 different metric measurements were performed in each sample to determine their morphological characteristics. The mean total length and weight were estimated as 357.8 mm (117-580) and 845.3 g (16.4-2485.1), respectively. Total length was compared with morphometric characters and the lowest ratio was found with eye diameter (4.3%) and the highest ratio was with anal distance (59.9%). In the relation between the total length and morphological characters of the highest and the lowest correlation were observed in dorsal distance with r 2 =0.993 and the anal height with r 2 =0.938. A strong correlation (r 2 = 0.993) was found between the total length and weight relationship and the growth was positive allometric b> 3. This paper reports the first documented of morphometric characteristics of the species. It is considered to contribute to fisheries biology and international scientific literature.

Population Structure, Exploitation Status, and Prospects of Brown Meagre Sciaena umbra Linnaeus, 1758 From the Turkish Coast of the Black Sea

“…The b values calculated for the Black Sea population were within the expected ranges of 2.5 -3.5 (Carlander, 1969). Positive allometric growth was observed in fish from the Black Sea (current study), as in different regions (Morey et al, 2003;Karakulak et al, 2006;La Mesa et al, 2008;Engin & Seyhan, 2009;Grau et al, 2009;Bilge et al, 2014;Chater et al, 2018;Aydın & Bengil, 2020;Aydın & Bodur, 2021), indicating that individuals grow faster in weight than in length. High conditions (Kn > 1) estimated for brown meagre in the Black Sea may be signs of favourable environmental conditions and good nutrition (Le Cren, 1951;Ujjania et al, 2012).…”

“…Several studies have been published on the population status of brown meagre from different regions (Chauvet, 1991;Chakroun-Marzouk & Ktari, 2003;Ragonese et al, 2004;Artüz, 2006;La Mesa et al, 2008;Engin & Seyhan, 2009;Chater et al, 2018;Aydın & Bodur, 2021). Despite its economic and ecological importance, studies on brown meagre populations are either sparse or lacking in the world and the Black Sea (Froese & Pauly, 2022).…”

Morphometric variation of Spicara flexuosum Rafinesque, 1810 (Teleostei: Sparidae) inhabiting the Sea of Marmara, the Aegean and the Mediterranean Coast of Türkiye

“…Morphometric analyses were previously available and used for inter-and intra-specific differentiation of fish species in the literature, such as Pomatomus saltatrix from the Aegean, Black Sea, and the Mediterranean (Turan et al 2006) and the Sea of Marmara (Bal et al 2021) and the three Scorpena species from the Aegean, Black, Mediterranean and the Marmara Sea (Yedier & Bostancı 2021). Different metric and meristic characters and their relative distributions were also observed for phylogenetic determination and taxonomy of freshwater fishes for Luciobarbus barbulus in the Persian Gulf Basin (Khaefi et al 2017, Khaefi et al 2018, three Gourami species in Indonesia (Perdana et al 2021) and some marine fish species, such as Chromis chromis (Aydın & Öztürk 2021) Sciaena umbra (Aydın & Bodur 2021) in the Black Sea.…”