Effect of turbidity on fish morphology: A case study of swordtail, Xiphophurus helleri, during early ontogeny
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Date
2024
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Int. J. Aquat. Biol.
Abstract
This work is aimed to study the effect of turbidity on the swordtail’s body shape during
its early developmental stages. For this purpose, two treatments were designed as turbid and clear
water, each with three replicates for 60 days. The body shape data was extracted by digitizing 16
landmark points on 2D pictures to analysis using the geometric morphometric technique. The results
showed a significant difference between the two treatments in terms of body shape. Fish under turbid
conditions had shorter eye diameters, lower and shorter heads, more dorsal position snout, and deeper
caudal peduncles. The priorities in the new environment i.e. turbid water needs to be changed to
decrease the adverse effect of the resulting pressures of this environment and increase the survival
rate leading to increasing the ability of the developing fish to occupy a wider range of habitats.
Description
Keywords
Body shape, Phenotypic plasticity, Aquarium fish, Adaptation