Condition factor and seasonal variation in Length-weight relationship of Acanthopagrus arabicus from Karachi Coast, Pakistan

Abstract

The present research was undertaken to study the condition factor and seasonal variation in the length-weight relationship of Acanthopagrus arabicus from Karachi coast, Pakistan. This work provides a first detailed study on length-weight relationship along with condition factor of Acanthopagrus arabicus from this region. The coefficient of correlation were ranged r² = 0.878 – 0.954 for male and r² = 0.851 – 0.917 for female (Year 2011), r² = 0.867 – 0.952 for male and r² = 0.890 – 0.977 for female (Year 2012) and r² = 0.867 – 0.933 for male and r² = 0.851 – 0.958 for female (year 2013). Acanthopagrus arabicus showed negative allometric growth (b < 3) in all seasons with the exceptions of positive allometry noticed only in Autumn 2012 and 2013 (male) and isometry in Spring 2011 (male) and 2012 (male and female). Condition factor K showed fluctuations along length groups but no significant relationship was observed between ‘K’ and gender of the species. While calculated values of ‘Kn’ showed a significant increase with the increase in length groups of both sexes.