Biometry markers of chub mackerel, Scomber japonicus Houttuyn, 1782, in the Adriatic Sea

The aim of the study was to present biometric analyses of chub mackerel, Scomber japonicus Houttuyn, 1782, from catch samples caught in the eastern Adriatic Sea between January 1998 and December 2008. Nine morphometric and eight meristic characters were analysed. The fork length (FL) of all observed specimens (N=4,157) ranged from 10.1 to 39.1 cm (mean plus or minus SD: 23.8 plus or minus 4.68 cm). All analysed length-length relationships were linear with high values of the coefficients of determination (r2>0.750). Males had significantly larger body depth than females as well as significantly larger number of soft rays in the pectoral fin; therefore, the possibility of sexual dimorphism was noted.Original Abstract: U ovom su radu prikazani rezultati istrazivanja biometrijskih znacajki populacije lokarde, Scomber japonicus iz istocnog dijela Jadrana. Koristene su komercijalne lovine iz razdoblja sijecanj 1998. - prosinac 2008. godine. Analizirano je devet morfometrijskih i osam meristickih znacajki. Vilicne duzine svih analiziranih jedinki (N=4157) kolebale su izmedu 10,1 i 39,1 cm (23,8 plus or minus 4,68 cm). Svi duzinsko-duzinski odnosi su pokazali linearnu ovisnost s visokim koeficijentima determinacije (r super(2)>0,750). Uocena je mogucnost spolnog dimorfizma; muzjaci su imali statisticki znacajnije deblje tijelo kao i veci broj neclankovitih sipcica u prsnoj peraji nego zenke.