Otolith Morphology and Relationships of the Common Pandora Pagellus erythrinus (Linnaeus, 1758) captured from the Eastern Coast of Libya

This study was organized to establish the morphometric parameters of Pagellus erythrinus otolith and determine the relationship of these parameters to fish size. A total of 37 fish specimens collected from Benghazi shore, Eastern Libya, during winter 2022 were used in the study. Total length (TL) and total weight (TW) were measured for each fish individual. Mean TL and TW were 185.68±6.404 and 90.967±9.824, the length-weight relationship indicated an isometric growth (TW=0.013TL^2.99 R²=0.98). Otolith weight (OW), length (OL), and height (OH) were measured. Differences between the parameters of the otolith on the left and the right were statistically insignificant. The otolith was pentagonal, and the ostium and the cauda were distinguishable. The ostium (OSL; 2.921±0.140) was funnel-like and shorter than the cauda (CUL; 3.793±0.147,) which is tubular. Percentages of SAL/SL%, OSL/SAL%, CUL/SAL%, SH/SL % and otolith relative size were calculated. The power model was used to determine relationships between OL, OH, OW, and fish size. Values of the coefficient of determination (R²) were TL-OL (TL=0.3632OL^1.035, R² = 0.85), TL-OH (TL=0.2891OH^1.00, R² = 0.86), TL-OW (TL = 2.570OW^2.74, R² = 0.95), TW-OL (TW=1.623OL^0.347,R² = 0.86), TW-OH (TW=1.236OH^0.337,R² = 0.87), and TW-OW (TW=0.0010OW^0.915, R²=0.95). The results suggest that the otolith dimensions are good indicators of fish size.