Length–weight relationships of the tropical cephalopod Uroteuthis chinensis (Gray, 1849) from Sabah, Malaysia

Abstract

This study focuses on the length–weight relationships (LWR) and the relative condition factor (K_n) of Uroteuthis chinensis from the Marudu Bay, Malaysia. The mean mantle length (±SE) and the total body weight (±SE) of U. chinensis were 29.02 ± 1.31 mm and 3.37 ± 0.46 g, respectively. The calculated growth coefficient b was 2.579, which indicated the hypoallometric growth of the animals from the study area. The study also showed that the dorsal mantle length and the total body weight were highly correlated (r = 0.930, p < 0.001). The mean values of the relative condition factor (K_n) of U. chinensis were found to be 1.0062 ± 0.1134. To our knowledge, the LWR and condition indices of U. chinensis collected from the Marudu Bay presented herein represent the first reference available to Malaysian waters.

Išanalizuotas Marudu įlankos (Malaizija) kininių pietinių kalmarų Uroteuthis chinensis ilgio ir svorio santykis bei santykinis įmitimo koeficientas (K_n). Vidutinis U. chinensis mantijos ilgis siekė 29,02 ± 1,31 mm, kūno svoris – 3,37 ± 0,46 g. Kalmarų augimo koeficientas b = 2,579 rodo, kad šių galvakojų augimas tiriamoje vietovėje buvo hipoalometriškas. Nustatyta, kad dorsalinis mantijos ilgis ir kūno svoris labai stipriai koreliavo (r = 0,930, p < 0,001). Vidutinis U. chinensis santykinis įmitimo koeficientas buvo K_n = 1,0062 ± 0,1134. Šiame straipsnyje publikuojami pirmieji tokio pobūdžio duomenys apie Malaizijos vandenų kalmarus.

Keywords:

• U. Chinensis
• length–weight relationship
• condition factor
• Marudu Bay
• Sabah

Acknowledgement

The authors also want to thank Master degree students Mohd Azim bin Mohd Khatib, Mohd Hazmadi bin Zakaria, Zamri bin Zainudin and the Laboratory technicians Mr Perumal Kuppan and Mr Zasni Mohd Yusoff for their help in field sampling.

Funding

This work has been funded by the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MOSTI), Malaysia [grant number 5450591].