Study of variation patterns for body shape in four endemic mullet species (Mugilidae) from Umm-Hufayn Lagoon, on the Cyrenaica coast of Libya

Fatma R.  Solieman; Nadia A.  Alrwab; Abdulghani A.  Abdulghani; Sara A. A.  Al Mabruk

doi:10.54172/0f20eb14

Authors

Fatma R. Solieman Department of Zoology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Quba- Libya Author
Nadia A. Alrwab Department of zoology Faculty of arts and sciences, University of Benghazi/ Tukrah, Libya Author
Abdulghani A. Abdulghani Department of Marine Resources, Faculty of Natural Resources, Omar Al-Mukhtar University, Libya Author
Sara A. A. Al Mabruk Department of General Nursing Technology, Higher institute of Science and Technology, Cyrene, Libya Author

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.54172/0f20eb14

Keywords:

Mullet species, Umm-Hufayn Lagoon, Goemetric Morphometric, Body Shape

Abstract

The study investigates the morphometric characteristics of four mullet species from the Umm-Hufayn lagoon on the Cyrenaica coast to analyze their morphomeristic variation and possible factors contributing to it. The morphometric analysis showed significant variation in the body shape of mullet species. The results of Discriminant Function Analysis (DFA) show significant variation to separate the four mullet species without any overlap. While Canonical Variate Analysis (CVA) shows the presented four distinct phenotypes differing by mullet species of body shape, Principal Component Analysis (PCA) revealed a wider distribution of body shape variations among the data points, indicating a greater range of body shapes within the sample population. The morphometric differences may be attributed to weight, size, or genetic differences. The study highlights the importance of geometric morphometric analysis to in identifying and differentiating the selected fish species in the same habitat.

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