Length–weight relations of juvenile and adult fishes (Actinopterygii) from shallow waters in the lower Guanabara Bay estuary, Brazil

Length–weight relations (LWR) are presented herewith for 15 fish species from shallow waters of three sandy beaches in the lower Guanabara Bay estuary, south-eastern Brazil. The following species were examined: Albula vulpes (Linnaeus, 1758); Harengula clupeola (Cuvier, 1829); Brevoortia aurea (Spix et Agassiz, 1829); Anchoa lyolepis (Evermann et Marsh, 1900); Umbrina coroides Cuvier, 1830; Menticirrhus littoralis (Holbrook, 1847); Menticirrhus americanus (Linnaeus, 1758); Trachinotus carolinus (Linnaeus, 1766); Trachinotus falcatus (Linnaeus, 1758); Diplodus argenteus (Valenciennes, 1830); Polydactylus virginicus (Linnaeus, 1758); Mugil curema Valenciennes, 1836; Haemulon aurolineatum Cuvier, 1830; Haemulon steindachneri (Jordan et Gilbert, 1882); Sphoeroides testudineus (Linnaeus, 1758). Specimens were sampled monthly over a four-year period between January 2012 and December 2015. This study presents the first length–weight relation of Diplodus argenteus for Brazil. The LWRs for all taxa included juveniles and sub-adults within size ranges commonly found in shallow waters of tropical sandy beaches. Only the adults (TL > L50) of Harengula clupeola and Sphoeroides testudineus were recorded in the area. The length–weight parameter b for all species ranged from 2.66 to 3.32, with regression coefficients (r2) between 0.97 and 0.99.