Comparative analysis of reproductive and growth parameters in Mugil cephalus and Chelon ramada (Actinopterygii, Mugiliformes, Mugilidae) from a Tunisian reservoir

Abstract

Mugil cephalus Linnaeus, 1758 and Chelon ramada (Risso, 1810) are the most commonly caught species of the family Mugilidae in Tunisian dam reservoirs. Efforts are underway to boost production to meet domestic demand. We investigated the biological and growth parameters of Mugil cephalus and Chelon ramada based on catches in the Sidi Saad Reservoir. Our results showed that the lengths at first maturity were 34.13 ± 0.12 cm for females M. cephalus and 33.29 ± 0.15 cm for males. For C. ramada , the corresponding sizes at first maturity were 30.5 ± 0.22 cm for females and 29.4 ± 0.17 cm for males. The gonadosomatic index indicated that the spawning season for M. cephalus extends from August to October, while that of C. ramada occurs from October to December. Notably, M. cephalus reaches sexual maturity at a larger size compared to C. ramada . We also assessed the von Bertalanffy growth parameters for both species: L ∞ = 77.87 cm, K = 0.1147 a –1 , t 0 = –2.41 for M. cephalus , and L ∞ = 52.01 cm, K = 0.1782 a –1 , t 0 = –1.41 for C. ramada . Our findings provide essential insights into the reproductive biology and growth parameters of these two Mugilidae species. However, more detailed surveys are necessary to manage fish resources sustainably in Tunisian dams.