Energetic Implications of Morphological Changes between Fish Larval and Juvenile Stages Using Geometric Morphometrics of Body Shape.

ABSTRACT: The fish body shape is a key factor that influences multiple traits such as swimming, foraging, mating, migrations, and predator avoidance. The present study describes the body morphological changes and the growth trajectories during the transformation from 24 to 54 days post-hatching in the golden grey mullet, Chelon auratus, using geometric morphometric analysis (GMA). The results revealed a decrease in morphological variability (i.e., morphological disparity) with the somatic growth. The main changes affected head size, elongation, and widening of the body. Given that this variability could affect the metabolism, some individuals with different morphologies and in different ontogenetic developmental stages were selected to estimate their potential respiration rate using the Elect

SUBMITTER: Martinez-Leiva L 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9913231 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature