Morphometric Comparison of Cultured and Lagoon Caught Gilthead Seabream (Sparus aurata L. 1758)

Authors: DENİZ ÇOBAN, ŞAHİN SAKA, KÜRŞAT FIRAT

Abstract: Shape differences were analyzed in cultured and lagoon (Homa Lagoon in İzmir Bay, Turkey; 38°33´23´N-26°50´42´E) caught sea bream, Sparus aurata. Specimens in group A (n = 35, 19.71 ± 1.43 cm TL) were collected from nature, while cultured fish in group B (n = 32, 15.12 ± 0.44 cm TL) were propagated in a private hatchery. In order to reveal shape differences in the fish, 13 landmarks was determined in specimens of both groups and the computer programs Tpsdig, Tpsrelw, Tpssplin, and Morpheus were used to demonstrate differences in the selected landmarks. No significant differences were found in terms of geometrical morphometry between lagoon caught and cultured fish (P > 0.05). It is thought that the similar shape formation in specimens of both groups was related to similarities in conditions between culture and lagoon environments due to feeding and stocking.

Keywords: Sparus aurata, seabream, shape variation, geometric morphometry

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