Food and feeding habits of Lagocephalus sceleratus (Gmelin, 1789) in some areas of the eastern coast of Libya (Published)
The puffer fish Lagocephalus sceleratus (Gmelin, 1789), family Tetraodontidae, is a Lessepsian species which has invaded the Eastern basin of the Mediterranean Sea. The present work is the first study that gives an account of length-weight relationship, condition factors and feeding habits of L. sceleratus in the eastern coast of Libya.L. sceleratus were randomly sampled monthly during January to December 2015 from the artisanal catch of Ain El-Ghazala lagoon (a total of 146 specimens) and Derna coast (22 specimens) on eastern Libya. Ain El- Ghazala fish had total length ranging from 19.5 to 73.4 cm corresponding to total weight of 149.3 to 4000.5 g. Total length of Derna L. sceleratus ranged from 49.5 to 73.4 cm corresponding to total weights of 1657.2 to 4011.8 gm. The length (L) weight (W) relationship W = 0.01881 *L2.8774, n = 146, R2 = 0. 7135 reflects a near isometric growth for Ain El- Ghazala fish (b = 2.8774). Fulton and Clark condition factors (KF and KC) of Ain El- Ghazala L. sceleratus were high in spring (1.34 and1.23 consecutively) and summer (1.43 and 1.21) and low in winter (1.21 and 1.13) and autumn (1.25 and 1.16).Mollusks (72.5%), supplemented by crustaceans (17.4%) and fishes (10.2%), composed the diet of Ain El-Ghazala L. sceleratus. Mollusks dominated the diet in all seasons, followed by crustaceans, then fishes. Feeding intensity was high during spring (83.5%) and autumn (72.6%) and low in winter (41.6%) and summer (28.3%). Uptake of mollusks decreased as L. sceleratus size increased, while that of crustaceans and fishes increased. Derna L. sceleratus of all sizes (49.5-73.4 cm) fed only on fishes (100%).
Keywords: Condition Factor, Length-Weight Relationship, eastern Libya, food and feeding, lagocephalus sceleratus, mediterranean sea. lessepsian.
Food and feeding habits of Lagocephalus sceleratus (Gmelin, 1789) in some areas of the eastern coast of Libya (Published)
The puffer fish Lagocephalus sceleratus (Gmelin, 1789), family Tetraodontidae, is a Lessepsian species which has invaded the Eastern basin of the Mediterranean Sea. The present work is the first study that gives an account of length-weight relationship, condition factors and feeding habits of L. sceleratus in the eastern coast of Libya.L. sceleratus were randomly sampled monthly during January to December 2015 from the artisanal catch of Ain El-Ghazala lagoon (a total of 146 specimens) and Derna coast (22 specimens) on eastern Libya. Ain El- Ghazala fish had total length ranging from 19.5 to 73.4 cm corresponding to total weight of 149.3 to 4000.5 g. Total length of Derna L. sceleratus ranged from 49.5 to 73.4 cm corresponding to total weights of 1657.2 to 4011.8 gm. The length (L) weight (W) relationship W = 0.01881 *L2.8774, n = 146, R2 = 0. 7135 reflects a near isometric growth for Ain El- Ghazala fish (b = 2.8774). Fulton and Clark condition factors (KF and KC) of Ain El- Ghazala L. sceleratus were high in spring (1.34 and1.23 consecutively) and summer (1.43 and 1.21) and low in winter (1.21 and 1.13) and autumn (1.25 and 1.16).Mollusks (72.5%), supplemented by crustaceans (17.4%) and fishes (10.2%), composed the diet of Ain El-Ghazala L. sceleratus. Mollusks dominated the diet in all seasons, followed by crustaceans, then fishes. Feeding intensity was high during spring (83.5%) and autumn (72.6%) and low in winter (41.6%) and summer (28.3%). Uptake of mollusks decreased as L. sceleratus size increased, while that of crustaceans and fishes increased. Derna L. sceleratus of all sizes (49.5-73.4 cm) fed only on fishes (100%).
Keywords: Condition Factor, Length-Weight Relationship, eastern Libya, food and feeding, lagocephalus sceleratus, mediterranean sea. lessepsian.
Some Aspects of the Reproductive Biology of the Long Fin Gurnard Aspitrigla Obscura (Linnaeus, 1764) In Dernah Coast, Eastern Libya (Published)
The reproductive biology of 389 specimens of Aspitrigla obscura (Family: Triglidae) obtained from catches collected by gill and trammel nets from Dernah coast, eastern Libya, Mediterranean Sea, was established during a one year study period (April, 2013 to January 2014). There were monthly variations in sex ratio between males (193 fish = 49.6%) and females (196 fish = 50.4%). The overall sex ratio was 1: 1.02 in favor of females. The breeding season extended from December to May. Oocyte diameters increased gradually and progressively during October (87 ± 4.27 μm) to December (250 ± 40.38 μm), then recorded highest values of 367 ± 41.39 in January to 567 ± 21.14 in May. The average absolute fecundity ranged from 535±33.9 in October to 8891±1231.4 in May for fish of total length ranging from 19.1 to 33.9 cm.. Overall absolute fecundity was 5875±503.1, whereas overall relative fecundity was 176±23.3cm-1.
Keywords: Aspitrigla Obscura, Mediterranean Sea, Reproductive Biology, Triglidae, eastern Libya, the Long Fin Gurnard
Historical records of the Lessepsian migrants, the dusky spinefoot fish Siganus luridus (Ruppell, 1829) and the marbled spinefoot S. rivulatus (Forsskal, 1775), in the eastern coast of Libya Mediterranean Sea (Published)
A brief comprehensive account on Lessepsian migration is given in the present study. Earlier publications reported that the dusky spinefoot fish Siganus luridus (Ruppell, 1829) and the marbled spinefoot S. rivulatus (Forsskal,1775) were recorded in Libya Mediterranean coastal waters for the first time in 1968 and 1970 in order. The present study however, shows that they were in Libya since the 1950ties: in Tobrok in 1950, in Darna in 1954 and in Benghazi in 1960. These findings were based on questionnaires filled by middle age and elderly fishers (located in Tobrok, Ein Ghazala, At Timimi, Ras Ettin, Darna, Khalij Bumba, Susah, Benghazi fishing sites on eastern Libya), on reports and documents of “Darna Fishers Trade Union”, “Tobrok Fishers Trade Union” and “Office of Marine Resources in Darna” and on consultations with members of these institutions. Estimates of monthly catch from the two Siganids per fisher per fishing site shortly after they established themselves in the eastern coast ranged between 2 to 60 kg (average = 17.25 kg) with S. luridus been more abundant than S. rivulatus. Both fishes are residents of shallow coastal water, 1 – 8 meters deep (average = 4.25 meters). Average total length of the initial population the two Siganids was 23.44 cm. Questionnairing fishers, in particularly elderly ones, is a powerful technique for establishing records of first entry and scientists are encouraged to use it. However, this technique is limited by the scarcity in elderly fishermen who are inventory of information of the old times but are unfortunately eliminated through time.
Keywords: Lessepsian migrants, Mediterranean Sea, Siganus luridus, Siganus rivulatus, dusky spinefoot fish, eastern Libya, marbled spinefoot
Historical records of the Lessepsian migrants, the dusky spinefoot fish Siganus luridus (Ruppell, 1829) and the marbled spinefoot S. rivulatus (Forsskal, 1775), in the eastern coast of Libya Mediterranean Sea (Published)
A brief comprehensive account on Lessepsian migration is given in the present study. Earlier publications reported that the dusky spinefoot fish Siganus luridus (Ruppell, 1829) and the marbled spinefoot S. rivulatus (Forsskal,1775) were recorded in Libya Mediterranean coastal waters for the first time in 1968 and 1970 in order. The present study however, shows that they were in Libya since the 1950ties: in Tobrok in 1950, in Darna in 1954 and in Benghazi in 1960. These findings were based on questionnaires filled by middle age and elderly fishers (located in Tobrok, Ein Ghazala, At Timimi, Ras Ettin, Darna, Khalij Bumba, Susah, Benghazi fishing sites on eastern Libya), on reports and documents of “Darna Fishers Trade Union”, “Tobrok Fishers Trade Union” and “Office of Marine Resources in Darna” and on consultations with members of these institutions. Estimates of monthly catch from the two Siganids per fisher per fishing site shortly after they established themselves in the eastern coast ranged between 2 to 60 kg (average = 17.25 kg) with S. luridus been more abundant than S. rivulatus. Both fishes are residents of shallow coastal water, 1 – 8 meters deep (average = 4.25 meters). Average total length of the initial population the two Siganids was 23.44 cm. Questionnairing fishers, in particularly elderly ones, is a powerful new technique for establishing more accurate records of first entry than that given by scientist. However, this technique is limited by the scarcity in elderly fishermen who are inventory of information of the old times but are unfortunately eliminated through time. Yet the approach may not be too late for many Lessepsian fishes and scientists are encouraged to use it.
Keywords: Lessepsian migrants, Mediterranean Sea, Siganus luridus, Siganus rivulatus, dusky spinefoot fish, eastern Libya, marbled spinefoot