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Volume :27 Issue : 1 2000
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Length-weight relationship and condition factor of Pampus argenteus (Euphrasen 1788) in Kuwaiti waters
Auther : S. DADZIE1, F. ABOU-SEEDO1 AND J. 0. MANYALA2
1Department of Biological Sciences, Kuwait University, P. 0. Box 5969, Safat 13060, Kuwait. E-mail: stevedadzie@kuc0l.kuniv.edu.kw
2Moi University, Department of Fisheries, P. 0. Box 1125, Eldoret , Kenya
ABSTRACT
The length-weight relationship and condition factor of silver pomfret (Pampus argenteus Euphrasen 1788) was studied in 618 female and 378 male specimens collected between March 1996 and May 1997 from the Kuwaiti waters of the Arabian Gulf. The slope ‘b’ for females for the length-weight relationship was between 1.239 and 3.560 while that for the males was between 1.454 and 2.946. The growth was allometric in both cases and were significantly different from the expected value of 3. The condition factor for females was highest in March 1997 (1.1449 ± 0.1787) and lowest in January (0.8638 ± 0.1330). The condition factor was significantly higher for males in April 1996 (1.0366 ± 0.2849) and lowest in January 1997 (0.9620 ± 0.1336). The use of condition factor to indicate change in relative weight that is a normal consequence ofgrowth in the species seems not to be justified. Considering allometric length-weight relationship, growth in P. argenteus may not be adequately described by the von Bertalanffy Growth Formula (VBGF). In terms of reproduction, however, interpretation of the data in the light of existing information suggests that P. argenteus in spawning conditions is characterized by a high condition factor while those in out of spawning season are characterized by a low condition factor.