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Relative Abundance, Length-Weight Relationship and Condition Factor of Bostrychus Africanus And Periophthalmus Barbarus From Bomu and Kono Creeks, Rivers State

Laku, C.B., Ugbomeh, A.P., Akani, G.C., Nwosu, O.R, Amuzie, C.C.

Abstract

This study investigated selected aspects of the ecology of two gobiid fishes, Bostrychus africanus and Periophthalmus barbarus, inhabiting Bomu and Kono Creeks, Rivers State, Nigeria. Fish specimens were collected from the intesrtidal mudflats using basket traps between May 2023 and April 2024. The specimens were assessed for relative abundance, length–weight relationship , and condition factor (CF) following standard fisheries research procedures. Species identification was carried out using appropriate taxonomic identification keys, while the relevant ecological parameters were estimated using established methods. Descriptive statistics and analysis of variance , among other appropriate statistical techniques, were employed for data analysis. The results showed that P. barbarus was relatively more abundant, accounting for 51.99% of the total specimens collected, compared with 48.01% for B. africanus. However, the difference in relative abundance between the two species was not statistically significant. The logarithmic transformation of the length–weight data revealed negative allometric growth in both species, indicating that body weight increased at a proportionally lower rate than body length. At Bomu Creek, the log- transformed LWRs for B. africanus and P. barbarus were expressed as log W = 0.1263 log L + 1.2351 and log W = 0.1452 log L + 1.2176, respectively. At Kono Creek, the corresponding relationships were log W = 0.1067 log L + 1.2384 for B. africanus and log W = 0.1351 log L + 1.2182 for P. barbarus. The slope coefficients (b) obtained from these relationships were below the theoretical value of 3, confirming negative allometric growth in both species at the two study locations. The condition factor indicated generally favourable physiological condition in both species. B. africanus recorded mean CF values of 2.01 ±1.62 and 2.58 ±

Keywords

bostrycusPeriophthalmusallometric growthcondition factorrelative abundanceOgoniland.

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