Body Performance Indices of the Invasive Red Cornetfish (Fistularia petimba Lacepède, 1803) in Taşucu Bay, Türkiye
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.61326/actanatsci.v7i1.463Keywords:
Red cornetfish, Length-weight relationship, Condition factor, Hepatosomatic index, Eastern MediterraneanAbstract
The red cornetfish (Fistularia petimba Lacepède, 1803) is an invasive fish species commonly found along the eastern Mediterranean coast of Türkiye. This study examined the length-weight relationship (LWR), condition factor (Fulton-K), and hepatosomatic index (HSI) of F. petimba specimens by sex. Between 2021 and 2024, 306 individuals (♀: 224, ♂: 56, juvenile: 26) were collected as bycatch from commercial fishing vessels in Taşucu Bay, Mersin Province. The sex ratio was 1:0.3 (♀:♂). The length-weight relationship was W = 0.0002×L3.289 (r2 = 0.952) for all individuals, W = 0.0002×L3.222 (r2 = 0.949) for females, and W = 7E-05×L3.514 (r2 = 0.951) for males. Positive allometric growth was detected. Fulton-K condition factor values were 0.49±0.03 for all individuals, 0.50±0.03 for females, and 0.47±0.06 for males. Hepatosomatic index (HSI) values were 0.85±0.05 for all individuals, 0.94±0.06 for females, and 0.57±0.08 for males. The data from this study on the red cornetfish population in Taşucu Bay, Mersin Province, may contribute significantly to understanding the body dynamics of the species.
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