Mizanur Rahman Washim¹, AKM Shafiqul Alam Rubel², Md. Latiful Islam^2,

This study describes a first and complete morphometric and meristic characteristics of Scatophagus argus from mangrove river Chuna, south-west coast Bangladesh. Altogether 85 specimens were collected periodically during July 2020 to June 2021 ranging from 10.40-20.20 cm in total length (TL) and 85.20-260.54 g in body weight (BW) applying locally used fishing gears. For each individual fourteen distinguished morphometric lengths were evaluated and body weight (BW) was measured accordingly. The examined fin formula was: D. XI-XII/15; P1. 18; P2. I/5; A. IV/12-14; C. 14. Majority (79%) of the length-weight relationships (LWRs) were highly significant (P < 0.01) with r² ranging from 0.71 to 0.84. Off the LWRs equations, BW = 0.6290*(TL) ^1.98 was the well expressed model depending on the largeness of r² value. The relationship exposed that the value of slope (b) was enormously below 3, because of the deep and vigorously compressed body. Alternately, TL vs. SL of length-length relationships (LLRs) was the precise model among ten equations considering the magnitude of r² values. Additionally, TL vs. SL showed the most strongly significant (P <0.01) interrelationship in correlation matrix. These data will facilitate in species identification and similarly assessment of stock/biomass, conservation and sustainable management of S. argus in mangrove river Chuna and other ecosystems of various geographic region.

morphometric, meristic, scatophagus argus, mangrove, chuna river