Assessment of fecundity rates in Alburnus sellal and A. atropatenae and their relationships with length, weight and age in Tigris and Urmia Lake basins of Iran

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Inland Waters Aquaculture Research Center, Iranian Fisheries Sciences Research Institute, Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization, Bandar Anzali, Iran.

2 Department of Fisheries, Faculty of Natural Resources, University College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Tehran, Karaj, Iran.

3 Department of Marine Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Guilan, Rasht, Iran.

10.22059/jfisheries.2026.409897.1476

Abstract

Alburnus sellal and A. atropatenae belong to Leuciscidae family, and are found in southwestern and Urmia Lake basins of Iran, respectively. These fish have ecological and sport fishing values as well. The main purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between the fecundity with length, weight and age in Gamasiab, Ghaleh-Chai and Mahabad-Chai Rivers. For this purpose, fish sampling was performed in 2008 and 2011 using electrofishing device and Cast-net. The results of the investigation on 47 spicemens of female A. sellal and 37 spicemens of A. atropatenae showed the total absolute fecundity (sum of large, medium and small eggs) in the A. sellal, is 1160-13021 (5571.7±3037.3, average±S.D) and for A. atropatenae, 1205-6588 (3113.2±1252). The total relative fecundity was estimated 125-507 (263.3±86.1) in A. sellal and 144-297 (197.8±41.1) in A. atropatenae per gram of body weight. The correlation (r2) between total absolute fecundity and body weight, total length and age were determined 0.59, 0.67 and 0.45, respectively for A. sellal and 0.69, 0.72 and 0.47 respectively, for A. atropatenae. The average total absolute fecundity increased in relation to age, weight and length of females with significant difference (P<0.05). Also, the mean egg diameter of large batches in the ovaries of readily spawning specimens was determined 0 1.35±0.17 and 1.04±0.06 mm for A. sellal and A. atropatenae, respectively. In conclusion, it can be said that these two fish species are batch spawners and spawn 2-3 times during the breeding season.

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