PHENOTYPIC INTERRELATIONSHIP OF BODYWEIGHT AND MORPHOMETRIC TRAITS FROM WILD CLARIID FISH SPECIES IN KANO STATE

Abstract

Morphometrics and fish bodyweight studies have shown great importance in estimation of productivity and stock assessment for some fish species. Hence, the study was aimed to identify the morphometric parameters that have correlation among and between bodyweight of Clariid species. Thus, one hundred and seventy seven samples (Clarias gariepinus and Heterobranchus longifilis) were collected from six rivers (Thomas, Ghari, Tiga dam, Duddurun Gaya, Karaye and Bagwai). Bodyweight and twenty-two morphometric characteristics were measured on each sample. Body weight was measured in grams using sensory scale while morphometric traits were measured in centimeters using flexible tape. These were; Body weight (BW), Total length (TL), Standard length (SL), Pre-dorsal distance (PDD), Pre-anal distance (PAD), Pre-ventral distance (PVD), Pre-pectoral distance (PPD),Caudal peduncle depth (CPD), Body depth at anus (BDA), Dorsal fin length (DFL), Anal fin length (AFL), Pectoral fin length (PFL), Pectoral spine length (PSL), Dorso-caudal length (DDCF), Dorso-occipital length (DODF), Head length (HL), Head width (HW), Snout length (SNL), Inter-orbital distance (ID), Eye diameter (ED), Length of occipital fontanelle (OFL), Width of occipital fontanelle (OFW) and Snout-occipital length (DSO). The results of Pearson correlation analysis for all the variables measured showed that relationship between Body Weight and all the morphometric measurements were positive and significant indicating that selection for BW might yield a correspondent positive result in other morphometric traits. The ‘r‘ values ranged from low (0.23) to high (0.80) for BW/PDD and BW/DDCF. Other measurements had positive and significant relationships with values ranging from 0.30 for ED/SL to 0.92 for TL/SL.