A regional evaluation of lessepsian migrant Upeneus moluccensis (Bleeker, 1855) length and weight relationships from the Mediterranean Sea

Abstract

The length and weight relationships (LWRs) of goldband goatfish found in the coasts of Cyprus was studied, and both prediction capacity of the model as well as a regional prediction capacity by testing developed models from the Mediterranean basin were evaluated. A total of 219 individuals were obtained monthly between November 2017-April 2018. LWR models taken from total length and fork length measurements were developed for female and male samples and combined with a maximum 36% error in estimations. Results indicated that LWR modelling based on sexes does not provide any improvement for uncertainty in the estimations. Evaluations of previously developed models indicate that the majority share a similar performance regarding the distribution of error in estimations. In conclusion, the population of this species shows that there are similar growth properties in both sexes throughout the eastern Mediterranean. Using the same TLWR model for all individuals is therefore applicable for the purpose of further modelling within the Mediterranean basin-scale.