STUDIES OlV SOME BIOLOGICAL ASPECTS OF THE LIZARDFISH, Synodus saurus; LIN. 1758 (FAMILY: SYNODONTIDAE) FROM THE MEDITERRANEANSEA ATALEXANDRIA. EGYPT.

STUDIES OlV SOME BIOLOGICAL ASPECTS OF THE LIZARDFISH,

Synodus saurus; LIN. 1758 (FAMILY: SYNODONTIDAE)

FROM THE MEDITERRANEANSEA ATALEXANDRIA. EGYPT.

By
ABD EI-GAWAD, A.M.*; MOUSTAFA, Z.A. AND ABU EI-NASR, T.M.
*Zoology Department, Faculty ofScience. Zagazig University
Ke)’ Words: Biometry, Length-Weight relationship and condition factors.
ABSTRACT
Twenty one Morphometric characters were studiedfor 1535 the
lizard/ish Synodus saurus (Linnaeus. 1758) measuringfrom 12 to 39
cm. long, to clarify the indices of the fish reproduction and
morphological description ofthis species from the Mediterranean Sea
at Alexandria area – Egypt. Five meristic characters were analyzed as
support for the morphometric identity ofdiagnostic features, which
were distinctive characters for the investigated fish. Analysis of
morphometric indices shows the following: (1) Reduction in head
width, eye diameter and dorsal, pectoral and caudal fin-length with
increasing fish length. (2) Accelerated growth offork length, standard
length, pre-anal length, head length and snout as fish grows. (3)
Slackening in the growth of pre and postorbital lengths and mouth
length.
The length-weight relationship has been studied. Its exponent “n”
was 3.1160 for the pooled sexes, 3.1039 for males as well and 3.1280
for females.
The value of condition factors at different lengths showed a
distinct fluctuation at the length corresponding to the first maturation,
spawning and recovery during the life history ofthe fish.
Application of condition factors with months shows that the
maximum values were at May and August months which coincide well