Fish size effect on sagittal otolith outer shape variability in round goby
            
              Neogobius melanostomus
            
            (Pallas 1814)

A total of 38 morphometric characters of the round goby Neogobius melanostomus melanostomus (Pallas, 1814) were studied in its native range in the Sea of Azov. The aim was to assess joint effect of sexual dimorphism and size variability on overall variability within groups of samples (populations) using appropriate methods of traditional statistical analysis (one-dimensional and multivariate statistics). Sex and size-dependent variability was studied based on model samples of males and females of different size. Most of the studied morphometric characters of round goby from the Sea of Azov demonstrated statistically significant sex- and size-dependent in-group variability. The pattern of the variability suggests that, for a comparison of round goby from different sea regions and between populations, separate samples of males and females within the range 9–13 cm SL should be examined in order to minimise the effect of the size and sex factors. The approach of searching for the most informative size range could be useful not only for further studies of infraspecific variation but for comparisons between morphologically close gobiin species.

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Feeding activity and diet composition of round goby (Neogobius melanostomus, Pallas 1814) in the coastal waters of SE Baltic Sea

Oceanological and Hydrobiological Studies ◽

10.1515/ohs-2015-0048 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 44 (4) ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Artūras Skabeikis ◽

Jūratė Lesutienė

Keyword(s):

Baltic Sea ◽

Coastal Waters ◽

Diet Composition ◽

Feeding Activity ◽

Macoma Balthica ◽

Round Goby ◽

Benthic Fauna ◽

Neogobius Melanostomus ◽

The Body ◽

Gut Contents

AbstractFeeding activity and diet composition of round goby were investigated in the south-eastern Baltic Sea, the Lithuanian coastal waters during May-October 2012 in order to determine main feeding objects and seasonal periods when native fauna could be most affected by predation of this highly invasive species. In total, prey represented by 18 taxa was found in the gut contents of dissected fish. Feeding activity of round goby varied depending on the body size, sex and stage of the reproduction period. The gut contents of < 50 mm specimens were dominated by zooplanktonic and meiobenthic organisms, whereas larger individuals (50–99 mm) shifted to amphipods and mollusks. Individuals of the intermediate 100-200 mm length had a variable diet, changing depending on the season; in spring they mostly preyed on Macoma balthica, in summer − on polychaetes, while in autumn the contribution of Mytilus trossulus and fish considerably increased in their diet. Diet composition of individuals ≥ 200 mm was relatively constant in the course of the study with substantial preference to M. balthica. These findings imply that benthic fauna, particularly a newly settled generation of epibenthic mollusks in autumn is under strong predatory pressure of the round goby.

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Genetic Differentiation of the Round Goby (Neogobius melanostomus) from Certain Localities of the Black and Azov Sea Basin Using Microsatellite Loci

Cytology and Genetics ◽

10.3103/s0095452721030105 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 55 (3) ◽

pp. 236-247

Author(s):

S. I. Tarasjuk ◽

V. V. Zamorov ◽

O. V. Zaloilo ◽

O. Iu. Bielikova ◽

D. B. Radionov

Keyword(s):

Genetic Differentiation ◽

Microsatellite Loci ◽

Round Goby ◽

Neogobius Melanostomus ◽

Azov Sea

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Discrimination of Five Gobid Species (Family: Gobiidae) based on Otolith Morphometry

Indian Journal of Animal Research ◽

10.18805/ijar.b-4458 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Vikas Pathak ◽

Rinchen N. Bhutia ◽

Shashi Bhushan ◽

Geetanjali Deshmukhe ◽

A.K. Jaiswar

Keyword(s):

Fish Species ◽

Discriminant Function Analysis ◽

Function Analysis ◽

Allometric Growth ◽

Fish Size ◽

Sagittal Otolith ◽

Shape Indices ◽

Glossogobius Giuris ◽

Species Specific ◽

Boleophthalmus Dussumieri

Background: The fishes of family Gobiidae are one of the least studied fishes, especially for otolith structure. The otoliths were possess species specific features. Hence, traits of sagittal otolith of gobid species studied. Methods: Five gobid species Odontamblyopus roseus (Valenciennes, 1837), Trypauchen vagina (Bloch and Schneider, 1801), Glossogobius giuris (Hamilton, 1822), Parachaeturichthys polynema (Bleeker, 1853) and Boleophthalmus dussumieri (Valenciennes, 1837) were investigated by three methods including morphological, shape indices and step wise discriminant function analysis (SDFA). Result: Interrelationship between shape indices investigated, at 95% level of confidence (P less than 0.05), revealed that perimeter of P. polynema and area of T. vagina have isometric growth with their length (b = 3.0071, 2.90, respectively) and otolith area of B. dussumieri have positive allometric growth (b = 4.23077). SDFA, based on otolith morphometry, discriminated species up with 97.18% accuracy. Hence, the results of present investigation can be used for discrimination of the species and as a tool in predicting fish size from the otoliths and in calculating the biomass of these less studied fish species.

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