Relationships between body size - otolith size for seven demersal fish species from the Marmara Sea, Turkey

Abstract

The total length-otolith length (TL-OL), total length-otolith width (TL-OWi), total length-otolith weight (TL-OW) and total weight-otolith weight (TW-OW) relationships of seven fishes in the Marmara Sea, Turkey were calculated. Measurements of sagittal otoliths (length, width and weight) and individuals (total length and total weight) from these species (Gaidropsarus biscayensis, Mediterranean bigeye rockling; Arnoglossus kessleri, Scaldback; Solea solea, Common sole; Uranoscopus scaber, Stargazer; Lophius budegassa, Blackbellied angler, Lepidorhombus boscii, The four-spot megrim and Lesueurigobius friesii, Fries's goby) were given. Linear regression analysis (y = bx + a) was used to determine the relationship between each morphometric character and the coefficient of determination (r2) were calculated. Highest determination coefficient were determined for L. budegassa and A. kessleri to TW-OW, for S. solea, and U. scaber to TL-OL, for G. biscayensis and L. boscii to TL-OWi, for L. friesii to TL-OW. The relatively lower determination coefficients were found for G. biscayensis, compared with others. These relationships provide vital information on species identification and size estimation of fish in predator-prey studies, we believe these results will be useful in future studies of stomach contents.