Morphometric Parameters and Allometric Growth in Paradise Threadfin Polynemus paradiseus (Linnaeus, 1758) from a Coastal River of Bangladesh

Morphological parameters comprising length-weight relationships (LWRs), sex ratio, condition factor (KF) and allometric growth of paradise threadfin, Polynemus paradiseus from the southern coast of Bangladesh were estimated. A total of 221 specimens were collected with the help of local fishermen ranging size 8.30-13.70 cm standard length (SL) and 11.64-50.67 g body weight (BW) during the period of January to October, 2104. The overall sex ratio of the samples did not reveal significant variation from the expected value of 1:1 (male: female=1:0.99, χ2=0.004, P < 0.05). Length-frequency distribution revealed a size predominance of males over females, where mean variation of males consistently exceeded that of females throughout the year. The allometric coefficient b of LWR significantly deviated from 3 indicating allometric growth in males and females. The analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) showed significant differences in slope and intercept between the sexes (P < 0.001). KF by month in both sexes indicating the fishes were thriving very well in the coast of Bangladesh. This study reports the first findings regarding the LWRs, sex ratio and KF of Polynemus paradiseus in the coastal waters of Bangladesh