Population Dynamics of Suez Pufferfish (Lagocephalus suezensis) in Iskenderun Bay

Abstract

Suez pufferfish (Lagocephalus suezensis) is a Lessepsian species introduced to the Mediterranean via the Suez Canal. This study was carried out for the identification of some population dynamics parameters of Suez pufferfish (Lagocephalus suezensis) distributed along the western coast of Iskenderun Bay. Samples were seasonally collected from two transects at 10 and 20 m depth contours from 2006 to 2017 using a commercial bottom trawl net with 44 mm mesh size. A total of 1279 individuals were investigated. Among them 427 were males, 586 were females, 266 were juveniles. Total length ranged from 5.2 to 24.0 cm and mean length was 13.44 ± 2.02 (± standard error) cm; total weight ranged from 1.77 to 232.97 g and mean weight was 32.05 ± 14.28 g for all individuals. Length-weight relationships were W=0.02*TL2.83 for males, W= 0.02*TL2.82 for females, and W=0.02*TL2.89 for aggregated data. The von Bertalanffy growth parameters were as follows; L∞ = 24.97 cm, K = 0.60 year-1, t0= -0.28, Rn = 0.145 for all specimens. Growth performance index was calculated as 5.92. Rates of total (Z) and natural (M) mortality was found to be 1.07 and 0.981 year-1.