A Preliminary Investigation on Biology of Capros aper (L., 1758) (Pisces: Caproidae)

Authors: Murat KAYA, Okan ÖZAYDIN

Abstract: This investigation covered 350 individuals of the species C. aper and it was observed that the lengths of males and fameles ranged between 60-105 mm while of sexually immature species ranged between 50-85 mm. There were not significant differences in length size-weight relations of males and females. 48.57 % of population were female and 47.14 %, 4.29 % of specimens were males and sequally immatures respectively. Age groups were determined without considering sexuality and estimated that the individuals in 3 years old were dominant (46.2 %), followed by 4 years old (28.9 %), 2 years old (22.6 %) and 1 years old (2.3 %). It has been observed that a group in females which are affirmed as spawned in spring, were complated the development of gonads and eggs, but we were not able to made an absolute estimation on their reproduction biology, due to not enough sampling. Food of C. aper has been obtained from Crustaceans (90 %) followed by Polychaeta (7 %) and Mollusca (3 %).

Keywords: Teleostei, Caproidae.