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Observer Variation in Counts of Meristic Traits Affects Fluctuating Asymmetry
Author(s) -
Hubert Wayne A.,
Alexander Charles B.
Publication year - 1995
Publication title -
north american journal of fisheries management
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.587
H-Index - 72
eISSN - 1548-8675
pISSN - 0275-5947
DOI - 10.1577/1548-8675(1995)015<0156:ovicom>2.3.co;2
Subject(s) - meristics , fish fin , biology , fluctuating asymmetry , loss of heterozygosity , observer (physics) , variation (astronomy) , zoology , statistics , fish <actinopterygii> , fishery , mathematics , physics , genetics , allele , quantum mechanics , gene , astrophysics
Bilateral meristic characters can be used to assess trends in heterozygosity of fish stocks; however, variation in counts among observers or by the same observer might prevent identification of asymmetry in bilateral me ristics. We determined variability in meristic counts (pectoral fin rays, pelvic fin rays, upper gill rakers, lower gill rakers, and mandibular pores) of salmonids Onchorhyncus spp. made by independent observers and by the same observer on different occasions. The independent observers showed varying agreement for each meristic character, but the overall agreement was low. Low agreement was also found between counts by the single observer. We conclude that observer variation limits the usefulness of counts of meristic characters as a means of assessing trends in heterozygosity of salmonid stocks.