Relationships between Fish and Otolith Size of the Blackspot Snapper Lutjanus ehrenbergii (Peters, 1869) Collected from the Coast of Muscat City, Sea of Oman

Abstract

In studies of prey-predator relationships, population dynamics and ichthyo-archaeology, the fish otoliths are commonly used to decide taxon, age and size of the teleost fishes. They can also be used to calculate the size of the prey. The relationships between otolith measurements (length and width) and fish body proportions (head, total and standard lengths) were estimated for blackspot snapper Lutjanus ehrenbergii collected from the Oman’s Sea, at Muscat City. Otolith length and width was shown to be good indicators for the length of fish. Linear function offered the best fit for relations between otolith and fish body proportions. Sizes of the left and right otoliths were found not be significantly different.