Biometry of Arabian carpetshark, Chiloscyllium arabicumGubanov, 1980 (Elasmobranchii: Hemiscyllidae) from Iraqi marine water

Abstract

A total of 35 specimens (22 male and 13 female) of Arabian carpetshark Chiloscyllium arabicum Gubanov, 1980, ranging in total length from 262-731 mm were collected from Iraqi marine water (N: 29º46’, E: 48º48’) during December 2012 - April 2013 and April 2014.80 morphometrics and meristics were measured.The head length (HDL) was 17.0-19.2 mm and 16.9- 19.7 mm, and the interdorsal space (IDS) was12.3-19.9 mm and 11.7-22.1mm for males and females respectively. Significant differences in some characters were found between males and females, the pelvic-anal space (PAS), the pelvic-caudal space (PCA) and the anterior vent-caudal tip length (VCL) in males were significantly larger than those in females, while the pre-pelvic fin length (PP2), the anal fin anterior margin length (ANA) and the pelvic base length (P2B) in females were significantly larger than those in males. The total count of vertebrae ranged between 162 and 175.