Length-to-weight and length-to-length relations of 15 freshwater fish species (Actinopterygii: Cypriniformes) from the Oujiang River, China

Abstract

Length-to-weight and length-to-length relations were estimated for 15 freshwater fishes belonging to the order Cypriniformes from Yuxi power station to Kaitan reservoir dam trunk stream of the Oujiang River, Zhejiang Province, China. The following species were studied: Distoechodon tumirostris Peters, 1881, Xenocypris davidi Bleeker, 1871, Plagiognathops microlepis (Bleeker, 1871), Hemibarbus labeo (Pallas, 1776), Hemibarbus maculatus Bleeker, 1871, Chanodichthys erythropterus (Basilewsky, 1855), Culter alburnus Basilewsky, 1855, Chanodichthys dabryi (Bleeker, 1871), Opsariichthys bidens Günther, 1873, Zacco platypus (Temminck et Schlegel, 1846), Sinibrama macrops (Günther, 1868), Hemiculter leucisculus (Basilewsky, 1855), Pseudohemiculter hainanensis (Boulenger, 1900), Rhodeus sinensis Günther, 1868, and Squalidus argentatus (Sauvage et Dabry de Thiersant, 1874). The determination coefficients r2 of LWRs were all over 0.96, and the 15 values of parameter b were consistent with the predicted range of 2.5–3.5. The total length-to-standard length relations were also calculated with r2 ≥ 0.97. Our study provides new information on LWR for 1 species and LLRs for 8 species, as well as new maximum total length recorded for 4 species (i.e., Distoechodon tumirostris, Opsariichthys bidens, Pseudohemiculter hainanensis, and Rhodeus sinensis) in FishBase. This study is expected to provide a useful baseline for further studies of population parameters to improve management decisions on the Oujiang River.